


Aut Vincere Aut Mori

by lysachan



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Ancient Rome, F/F, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-28 09:52:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 21
Words: 91,669
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17785181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lysachan/pseuds/lysachan
Summary: AU fic set in ancient Rome. Regina, a Vestal priestess, crosses paths with a mysterious gladiator. Suddenly, her life is not quite the same. Historical!Swan Queen.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> A Swan Queen AU fic set in Ancient Rome. Indeed. I have no idea where this came from. Well, Emma as a gladiator, that's what sparked this whole thing. While I want to be as historically accurate as possible, I obviously need to take some liberties in order to get our heroines together. For the history buffs out there, the story kicks off in the year 80AD.
> 
> A big thank you to kayryn for the endless chats regarding the miniscule details of the fic, as well as to mrswoman for the wonderful beta.
> 
> Originally posted to ff.net in 2013.

**PART ONE: Victory Favours the Brave**

**Chapter 1**

The crowd parted abruptly, uttering whispers of excitement and surprise as the two-wheeled carriage made its way slowly along the busy market road. It was preceded by a lictor, a bodyguard of the highest rank, and a clear indication of the preciousness of the carriage's cargo. The murmuring only increased when the crowd got a better look at the sole occupant of the vehicle, though the woman in question simply stared ahead, a look of boredom and indifference etched on her face.

"It's Priestess Regina!" a young girl said, apparently a little too loudly, because the woman they were all doting at slowly glanced at the girl, her posture as regal as ever. The child quickly clamped a hand over her mouth in panic, her cheeks reddening at getting caught by the eminent Vestal. The only indication of the mirth Regina felt at witnessing the girl's moment of self-embarrassment was the way the corner of her mouth twitched, just barely, as she concentrated on the road ahead of her again.

Vestal Regina was known in all of Rome and even beyond; her beauty was legendary, and the air of power and elegance about her the inspiration of a thousand tales. Although she wasn't actually the highest priestess, the chief Vestal, in the eyes of the people she was still the most prominent member of the group; a group that was essentially in charge of the continuance and security of the entire empire. She was both feared and adored, and absolutely everyone knew who she was.

"Move it! Clear the road! Don't you know that the Vestals have the right-of-way!" the bodyguard bellowed as people scurried out of the way with their baskets and carts, bowing their heads in respect as the carriage passed them.

"Peasants," Regina muttered under her breath. They made a turn, and she sighed in relief as the Temple of Vesta was finally standing tall in front of them.

The temple was a breathtaking sight. Large marble columns lined the circular structure, giving it an air of grandiosity that wasn't matched by many other buildings in the city. At the centre of the temple was the podium, one of the most sacred places in all the empire. The podium housed the eternal fire which was to never go out – otherwise, Rome would be doomed. Seeing the smoke of the flames that reached out towards the sky filled Regina with a sense of relief, but also, inexplicably, dread; being one of the few who guarded and cultivated the fire and, thus, the entire fate of the civilised world, was a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

Shaking her head in order to rid herself of the anxious thoughts, Regina felt the carriage slow down and, finally, it came to a halt in front of the House of the Vestals. These personal quarters of the six Vestals were located behind the actual temple, so that it was as uncomplicated as possible for them to do their duty of tending the eternal fire. Stepping inside the building, Regina spotted another Vestal, Kathryn, sitting on a bench on the other side of the cella, the centre foyer.

"How was the ceremony?" Kathryn asked, offering a sympathetic smile.

"Ridiculous. Pointless. A waste of time." Regina snorted, appreciating the interest Kathryn was expressing in her day. Of all the people in Regina's life, the other Vestal was the only person she considered as more than a colleague, and although she would never say it out loud, that one relationship was the spark of normalcy that she sometimes clung to in order to keep her sanity.

As a Vestal, Regina was different: while the other five had been introduced to their duty like most Vestals, long before the formative years of becoming a woman, Regina had been only a few years shy of 25 when she had replaced a Vestal who had suddenly passed away. That had automatically put her in a different category than the others who found it odd that she had once actually had a life outside the temple. And when she had suddenly gained the admiration and interest of the public as well, she had permanently alienated herself from the rest of her 'sisters'; that is, all except Kathryn.

"All those nouveau riche people, they think it boosts their image if they have a Vestal present in every damn celebration of utter insignificance," Regina grumbled as Kathryn stood up and joined her. The two made their way towards the bedrooms at the back of the building.

"Oh, don't I know it." Kathryn chuckled and pulled her white mantle tighter around her against the draught.

"The chief is simply trying to punish me with all these ridiculous outings." Regina sighed, feeling the dull pain of an upcoming headache at her temples.

"You can't really blame her, Regina." At Regina's displeased glare, Kathryn quickly continued: "I mean, you are the most well-known of us, and the emperor favours you as well, you know that. Of course everyone wants you."

"I did not ask for this," Regina huffed, her lips pressing into a thin line.

"I know." Kathryn's tone was understanding. "Oh! You're going to the games with me next week, right?" she suddenly exclaimed, the excitement in her voice overflowing. Her blonde curls bounced as she walked.

"Ugh, watching men beat each other with various sharp objects, charming." They reached Regina's living quarters and stood outside the door.

"Regina, it's supposed to be fun! Entertainment! You have to go with me; it's the grand opening of the new arena." As Regina still seemed hesitant, Kathryn played the Vestal card: "You know people will talk if all of us aren't there; we were invited, after all. You can't miss it."

"I'll think about it. Frankly, I have better things to do than watch people butcher each other all day."

"Like attending the parties of the nouveau riche?" Kathryn asked sweetly.

"Go away," Regina grunted, opening her door and shutting it behind her. She could hear Kathryn's laughter through the door as the other woman made her way towards her own room. Despite the annoyance she felt at Kathryn's silly joke, she couldn't help the small smile that spread on her lips.

Yes, Kathryn definitely helped her forget for a while. Because what the people of the city of Rome didn't know was that the woman who, from the outside, looked like the epitome of orderliness, beauty and power, was in many ways lonely and powerless on the inside. The trick was to never let people see that the woman they admired was very much alone and lost. No, no one would ever breach the walls she had put up around herself; she would make sure of that.

Before she had time to get too lost in her thoughts, there was a small knock at the door. Swinging it open, she came face to face with the chief. The chief Vestal was the most important one of Rome's high priestesses, and everyone respected her greatly. She was an older woman—significantly older than any of the priestesses under her—with gray hair and piercing eyes, which is why she was called "Granny" behind her back. Though, everyone knew that she was aware of it. Immediately bowing her head, Regina waited for her to begin talking before looking up again.

"A messenger just brought word that the emperor requests your presence at the palace as soon as possible." While it was said politely and with tact, Regina could hear the slight mistrust in the chief Vestal's voice. The chief's conduct was never unfair, however; she was simply sceptical about Regina's motives now that the brunette had influence. Regina understood that. She was, after all, the only one of the Vestals who'd had a life before joining their ranks, and no matter how passionately one wanted to fill her duty, the experiences of a life outside the temple were hard to shake.

"Of course, I'll go right away." When Granny remained standing at the door, quiet, Regina raised a questioning eyebrow. "Is there anything else I can do, Gr-, your Grace?"

"I simply want you to be careful," she said, studying Regina's face intently.

"I peg your pardon?"

"The city is full of snakes, Priestess, and they can be found in surprising places. I wouldn't want to see any of my girls getting bitten by one." Without elaborating further, she was gone, leaving a confused Regina standing at the doorway.

_What in Jupiter's name was that?_

**OuaTOuaTOuaT**

Regina was shielding her eyes from the afternoon sun, watching children run around in the courtyard as she waited for the emperor to join her. Standing on the balcony of the imperial palace, she followed as two girls played hide-and-seek just below her, their laughter and giggling filling the air. While others might've found the chipper noise joyful and wonderful, Regina only felt bitterness and woefulness.

"Claudia!" she heard someone call out for one of the girls, and soon a woman in her twenties strolled out into the yard. The little girl sprinted towards her, and the woman scooped her up in her arms, both laughing happily.

An odd sensation overcame Regina then as she watched the scene in front of her. It was a feeling of nostalgia, but how could she feel nostalgia over something that she'd never experienced in the first place? Fleetingly, she wondered how life might've been different if her mother had cared for her like this woman obviously cared for Claudia.

Her moody thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of the emperor Titus. She bowed reverently and followed him as they walked in a leisurely pace along the outside corridor. Regina visited the palace fairly often in her role as a Vestal; it was well-known that the emperor favoured Regina when it came to imperial functions and ceremonies that required the presence of a Vestal priestess. The invitation, therefore, wasn't a surprise, but the way the emperor simply kept on walking without saying a word gave Regina pause.

Finally, after they had walked several minutes in silence, Titus glanced at his bodyguards and signalled them to give them space. "I need you to do something for me, Priestess."

"Your Eminence?" Regina frowned. She had expected to be asked to take part in yet another consecration of a temple, or to sacrifice a lamb in honour of Mars at the palace, which is why the serious tone somewhat startled her.

"It has come to my attention that there are people conspiring against me," Titus continued, seemingly unfazed by the information. "Now, there are always people who would rather condemn me to be thrown off the Tarpeian Rock than see me as their emperor, but most of them wouldn't dare do anything about it. This time, however, is different."

"How do you mean, your Eminence?"

"There are rumours about people in high places, maybe even as high as the Senate, wanting to dethrone me, or at least compromise my position as the rightful leader." Regina remained silent, sensing that Titus wasn't done. "It's not a surprise I have many enemies, we all do; it simply needs to be determined who the culprits are, and that is where you come in, Priestess."

"Your Highness?"

"I need you to be my eyes and ears around the city. People talk, they gossip. Because of your role as a Vestal and the influence you have, you get to hear that gossip. I need you to report back to me if you hear anything relevant."

"I see," Regina said, non-committed. Granny's earlier words about snakes suddenly popped into her head. She really didn't want to get in the middle of state politics, and she wasn't even entirely sure why Titus would think she was reliable enough. He knew full well about her past.

The emperor stopped, turning to look at Regina. "Now, you're probably wondering why I trust you. The truth of the matter is that I don't." Regina subconsciously stood up taller, her lips pressing into a thin line. "Everyone, absolutely everyone, has an agenda, and, thus, I distrust everyone by default. But I do trust the Vestal side of you, because it ought to prevent you from acting against Rome's best interests." He took a step closer. "And the stability of the empire would suffer greatly if there was a struggle for power at this time."

"I will do my best, your Excellence, to make sure the empire thrives." Regina bowed her head, unable to do anything but surrender under a power far greater than her own – no matter how much it irked her.

"That is what I wanted to hear." Titus nodded with finality, making it clear that their meeting was coming to an end. "Oh, I expect to see you at the games next week. I want the Vestals to be present and extend the protection of Vesta to the new amphitheatre as well, since it is finally opened." His tone didn't leave any room for objections.

"I wouldn't miss it." Again, there was nothing else she could've said.

The emperor nodded curtly and gestured his bodyguards to join him again. With one final look at Regina, he continued his stroll, leaving the Vestal standing alone once more. She turned towards the yard, mulling over what had just transpired. Scheming and plotting Regina understood; there was no way to avoid it anywhere in Rome, really. But somehow, she had once again been put in the middle of someone else's plan and forced to do other people's bidding, which she absolutely loathed.

Suddenly feeling anger bubble at the pit of her stomach, Regina wondered again how her life would've turned out if she had actually ever truly mattered to anyone.

**OuaTOuaTOuaT**

It was a scorching hot day when Regina and Kathryn made their way towards the arena in the Vestal carriages. Regina cursed inwardly as she felt the beads of sweat slip down her back, sticking the stola she was wearing to her skin. As they reached the arena, the bodyguards led them quickly through the winding hallways, past the booths selling food and people promoting different gladiators.

There were people everywhere, filling the amphitheatre to the brim. Taking their seats in the special box reserved for the Vestals—in all honesty, there's no way Regina would have ever turned up at the games if she had to sit with the commoners—they admired their surroundings. The arena truly was impressive, and Regina understood full well why the emperor Titus wanted to celebrate the new monument for all that it was worth. All in all, there would be a hundred days of celebration – it was an event like never before.

"Celadus is battling today, right after the noon break, I think I might bet on him," Kathryn mused as she eyed through the programme they had been provided before taking their seats. "Oh, the closing battle will be massive."

"How so?" Regina glanced over at the programme impassively.

"It's Cresces versus Urbicus." Regina nodded in recognition; everyone in Rome knew the two popular gladiators. "They've both won their last ten battles, so it's going to be a full on fight to the death."

Kathryn was going to comment on the issue some more, but didn't have the chance as the audience suddenly roared, seeing the first _venatores_ and _bestiarii_ , animal fighters, enter the arena. They walked straight to the emperor and saluted him, after which any conversation within the amphitheatre was practically impossible as the space was filled with the shouts and cheering of the crowd. The enthusiasm within the amphitheatre was incredible, and Regina, reluctantly, soon found herself rather enjoying the games along with the other spectators – certainly, there were worse ways to spend a day. _Like the parties of those annoying social climbers, Regina thought with glee._

The atmosphere in the arena grew even more celebratory after the break at noon, because that meant the battles everyone was waiting for—the battles for which everyone was actually there—were just around the corner. The gladiators, the real gladiators, were about to take the stage and fight each other to the death. People were making bets, writing curses and well-wishes on their wish boards for the fighters, and buying food to last for the entire afternoon – no one wanted to miss a minute of the most important part of the day.

As the games finally resumed, Regina was swept away by the excitement, and although Celadus actually lost his battle—and, subsequently, his life—even Kathryn wasn't disappointed because of it for long. The afternoon was excellent, and as the final battle between Cresces and Urbicus was drawing nearer, everyone expected it to crown the perfect day.

The crowd was on their feet and the bellowing grew into overwhelming dimensions when Cresces eventually appeared on the arena, but the roaring severely toned down when the audience realised that the gladiator following him wasn't, in fact, Urbicus. The booing was instantaneous as the people felt cheated out of the battle of the year, and the ruckus relentlessly continued as the two gladiators made their way to stand in front of the emperor. He raised his hand and the stadium quieted.

"Morituri te salutant!" the gladiators shouted as they reached the emperor's private box. _Those about to die salute you!_ An involuntary shiver went down Regina's spine. Despite seeing them as nothing but savages, she did respect the utter lack of fear the gladiators showed before each battle.

From the corner of her eye, Regina watched as someone from the emperor's retinue bowed down to whisper something in his ear, and after a moment, the emperor stood up. The noise in the arena died instantaneously.

"It has come to my attention that Urbicus is unable to battle today." A gasp of disappointment and rage went round the arena, and the emperor himself didn't look too pleased about the situation. It was unacceptable that the first day of the most incredible celebration would not be crowned with a first class battle between champions. "However," he continued after raising his hand and effectively quieting down the crowds once more, "Another gladiator will take Urbicus' place. Because of this hindrance, we will have double the number of champion battles for the next seven days!"

The crowd wasn't pleased with the situation at all, Regina could sense it all around her, but no one would have dared to cross the emperor who was so high above them all, so everyone let out a half-hearted cheer.

As the fighters took their places in the middle of the arena, Regina finally took a good look at Cresces' opponent. He was definitely less robust than Cresces, and shorter, too. He was wearing a leather armour which covered his torso (definitely in order to give him even a little leverage against a significantly better opponent), and a leathery loincloth type of thing that fell to mid-thigh. His shins were also covered, only with metal, and a helmet shielded his head and face, while only the ends of his long, blonde curls were visible. Just like Cresces, his weapon of choice was a traditional sword, which was odd, since usually gladiators with a different fighting styles fought against each other. Regina mentally rolled her eyes, everyone knew that Cresces was a master of the sword; his opponent didn't have a snowball's chance in the underworld of surviving more than a few blows.

"This is absolutely ridiculous," Regina heard Kathryn mutter next to her.

The emperor finally signalled the battle to begin, and the two gladiators slowly began circling each other; the crowd yelled for Cresces to slaughter his opponent at the spot. Indeed, Cresces was the first one to lunge at the other gladiator, but with surprising grace the latter easily blocked the move with his shield, causing the crowd to waver in its insults. Regina had nearly been out of her seat, ready to head out of the arena, but seeing the skilful defence of the underdog, she hesitated. When the same situation, the new gladiator blocking Cresces' attacks, was repeated several times more, an incredulous murmur went around the arena like wildfire. Regina sat down again, intrigued.

She couldn't help it; she found herself at the edge of her seat as she followed this mysterious gladiator's every move on the centre stage. When he eventually made his first, lightning-fast attack on Cresces, the latter was barely able to step away from the line of fire, and Regina could feel the opinion in the arena starting to turn against the star fighter. The two fought with such skill that Regina doubted she had ever seen anything like it. Amazingly, Cresces was the underdog from the beginning, and when his opponent finally delivered a blow that actually made contact with skin and caused a deep wound in Cresces' thigh, the audience was completely on the side of their new hero.

It was flawless. The newcomer wielded his sword with such precision and ease that it was almost as if the weapon was simply an extension of his arm. The fight neared its end, and Regina actually found herself holding her breath when the decisive blow came, cutting Cresces to his left calf so that he wasn't able to stay up on his feet anymore. The once celebrated gladiator was forced to raise his forefinger as a sign for asking for mercy. The crowd went wild as the favourite went down, and the unknown gladiator remained standing without a single wound or injury inflicted upon his body. This was precisely the reason why people had come to the games in the first place: unexpectedness had the best entertainment value.

Titus stood up slowly, in awe of what he had just seen, and listened to the crowd's reaction to Cresces' plea. The arena was filled with booing, and little by little, a steady mantra of "Iugula! Iugula! Kill! Kill!" grew stronger. That was enough for the emperor who calmly made his decision, altogether denying the defeated gladiator's request.

The winner, having seen Titus' hand gesture, calmly approached his opponent and came to a halt next to him. With his last ounces of strength, Cresces rose to his knees, took a hold of the winner's thigh, and exposed his neck. The new champion of the arena raised his sword, and Regina involuntarily swallowed. The crowd cheered as the lifeless body now lying on the sand was dragged away with a meat hook, and the lone gladiator still standing made his way to the emperor. He dropped on one knee in front of Titus, saluting him.

"Congratulations, Gladiator, that was quite a performance. Please, rise." Titus beamed; his games of the day had been miraculously saved. "Now, to whom should I attribute this remarkable victory? What is your name, Gladiator?"

The gladiator seemed to hesitate for a moment, but finally, he reached up to pull the helmet off his head. Regina immediately leaned forward, her mouth opening in surprise. An audible gasp could be heard around the arena, and Regina was quite sure she heard someone faint a few rows behind her.

_Well, this certainly makes things interesting._

"Emma, Your Excellence. My name is Emma." The voice, or indeed the face of the person underneath the helmet, wasn't that of a man at all. Oddly spellbound, Regina watched the blonde haired woman stand confidently in front of the emperor, her chin held high, but her eyes cast to the ground in respect. She couldn't quite explain it, but Regina simply wasn't able to tear her gaze away from the sight in front of her; something in that mysterious woman in the ring made her stomach twist in nervous knots, which annoyed her greatly.

"Well, this is most unusual," Titus mused, clearly not quite knowing how to react to the surprising revelation of the victorious gladiator's identity. The audience was unusually quiet, making it impossible to determine what their will was. But, really, there was nothing the emperor could do, since the fighter had unquestionably won the battle. "Your journey shall continue in this arena. I wish you luck."

Regina watched as the woman took one final bow towards the emperor and then raised her sword, looking round the arena and at the crowd that had only moments before stood behind her. After a few seconds of silence—seconds the people seemed to need in order to make up their minds—the crowd broke out in cheering once more, giving the woman in the ring their wholehearted support. Against her better judgement, Regina found the corners of her mouth turning slightly upwards. Rome had never seen anything like that particular final battle of the day – and, in front of the applauding crowd, the look of absolute calmness and determination on the mysterious gladiator's face didn't waver an inch.

Regina was mesmerised by what she had seen, which was why, a few days later, she eagerly took up on Kathryn's offer to accompany her to the games again – much to her own surprise.

The arena was absolutely packed as word of the mysterious female gladiator had spread like wildfire around the city, and now everyone wanted to witness her in action. Unlike the first time, the mysterious woman's fight was going to be against only a semi-known gladiator, Valerius, so their battle was placed almost immediately after the noon break.

Indeed, they didn't need to wait long, because only a couple of fights in, Regina recognised the blonde gladiator walking towards the emperor's side of the arena. They saluted the emperor and then walked towards the centre of the sand field in order to start their battle. Wearing a slightly more revealing outfit than the first time around, the woman in the ring gripped her sword and shield, getting into the starting position. Her opponent was wielding a spear, and as the fight commenced, Regina could see that it was going to be very different from the one she had witnessed a few days earlier.

Similarly to her first fight, at first Emma was merely circling and observing her opponent. When he attacked, Emma easily blocked it with her shield, stepping gracefully away from his line of fire. The shield of the male gladiator was significantly smaller than Emma's, so she used that to her advantage: more than once she was able to breach her opponent's defences through his less guarded right side.

Finally, the battle gained speed as Emma delivered a blow that made contact with skin. Her opponent stumbled back slightly, and she was able to benefit from that, quickly striking back with her sword. As Valerius blocked it with his shield, Emma tripped him and he fell ungracefully to the sand. Quickly stepping over him and placing the tip of her sword under his chin, she seemed to study him for a moment, waiting out his decision. When a forefinger was raised and another victory for the female gladiator was sealed, Emma removed her helmet again, looking almost ambivalent about the situation. The crowd rose on their feet, cheering wildly. They had come to see the phenomenon everyone in Rome was talking about, and it had been more than worth it.

In awe, Regina watched the blonde work her audience, sword raised again and the, apparently, signature look of confidence on her face. After that day, there was no question who the Romans wanted to see fight the most: a surprising legend had been born.


	2. Two

**CHAPTER 2**

"This is so unbelievably unfair!" Ruby, one of the Vestals, whined. Another priestess, Aurora, looked on sympathetically, while Regina waited impatiently for Kathryn at the entrance of the House of Vestals. Straightening her stola with indifference, Regina tried to block the shrill voice from her head.

"You'll get to go tomorrow," Aurora tried to console the feisty Vestal, but was far from successful.

"Yeah, well, I really don't care about tomorrow. I wanted to see that new gladiator fight again!" Huffing dramatically, Ruby crossed her arms on her chest and pouted. "I mean, what if she loses today, and that's it? I will miss the last exciting battle Rome will see in my lifetime!"

Inwardly, Regina smiled smugly.

"Quit yapping and take your place at the temple," Granny ordered as she appeared behind the girl and, just as quickly and unceremoniously, made her way out of the door.

"Ugh, I swear, at times she's just like how my grandma was: mean and completely unreasonable." Ruby grimaced but, defeated, left for the guard duty at the temple.

Soon after, Kathryn finally showed up, apologising profusely for her tardiness—Regina most definitely wouldn't have excused such behaviour from anyone else—and they got into their carriages, ready to head for the arena once again. It was day 15 of the grand celebrations, and Regina had to admit, going to the games wasn't as mind-numbingly boring as she had first assumed. Granted, she still believed gladiators slaughtering animals, as well as each other, to be utterly barbaric and despicable, but at least now there was some flavour to it in the form of the blonde swordswoman.

The amphitheatre was within the Roman Forum as well, so it wasn't terribly far from the temple; in no time the sturdy walls of the arena could be seen in front of them. The side of the road was filled with people promoting different gladiators, praising them and urging the passers-by to bet on their fighter. The Vestals had just passed the humble building of the gladiator school where the future fighters were trained, and were only a mere hundred feet from their destination when the carriage suddenly jolted strangely. Regina had no time to think what was going on before a loud cracking noise filled the air; all of a sudden, she was jerked forward by a movement so violent that there was nothing she could've done to keep herself balanced and upright. Ungracefully falling over the side of the carriage, she braced herself for a hard impact, when, unexpectedly, she felt strong arms catch her before she could hit the ground.

As soon as Regina was oriented enough to take in her surroundings again, she found herself in the arms of no other than the infamous blonde gladiator – the very same one she had caught herself thinking about on several occasions during the past two weeks. Of all the people in Rome! The Fates surely had a twisted sense of humour. Utterly startled for a moment, she could only stare dumbfounded at the bright green eyes of her saviour. Regina didn't know for sure how long she simply gawked at the woman, but it wasn't until she registered Kathryn's concerned voice somewhere behind her that she sprung into action.

"Get your barbarian hands off me!" she demanded and immediately felt herself being lowered to the ground. "And put me down gently!"

"Really?" the woman chuckled. "You're complaining about how I saved your life?" She slowly set Regina all the way down and stepped back, studying the brunette through her lashes.

"You most certainly did not save my life," Regina muttered, finally noticing the reason for the sudden end to her ride: the wheel had broken after hitting an elevated stone in the pavement.

"Are you quite all right, Priestess?" Claude, her bodyguard asked, clearly shaken by the abrupt end to their journey. After receiving a curt nod from Regina, he crouched down to inspect the damage to the carriage.

"Are all Roman women as prickly as you?" the stranger asked then, amused. There was a curious lilt in her speech, immediately indicating that she wasn't from Rome. Not that it was surprising: many gladiators were slaves from other territories.

"If I were you, I would be careful addressing a Vestal," Regina said icily and noted, with growing dissatisfaction, that her words seemed to have no effect on the gladiator. _What arrogance!_

Indeed, Emma's eyes only seemed to sparkle more. "Well, your Highness, we should discuss at a later date how you can repay me for saving your life." Regina stared, aghast, as the blonde actually winked at her.

"There won't be any 'later date'," Regina hissed and turned away, stalking forcefully to Kathryn who was standing close by.

"Is that her?" Kathryn whispered excitedly as Regina reached her, eyeing the mysterious woman over the other Vestal's shoulder.

"Yes, and she's just as uncivilised as the rest of them," Regina commented, her face still flushed with displeasure. She stole another glance at the blonde who was now being surrounded and adored by many admirers, several of them women; they kept ogling at her well-formed muscles, fawning over her obvious bravery, and one lady had even placed her hand suggestively on Emma's biceps. When the gladiator grinned wickedly at the woman in question, Regina turned away with an indignant huff.

"Uncivilised or not, I think she might have just saved your life," Kathryn noted, causing Regina to actually, very uncharacteristically, stomp her foot.

"She did not save my life!" With that, she strutted towards the amphitheatre; Claude and a bewildered Kathryn soon following suit.

Regina's mood did not improve at the games either; not only was Kathryn constantly teasing her about the incident of that morning, but the scorching sun caused her to sweat profusely, making it extremely uncomfortable to sit still. It's not like she couldn't have left—as a Vestal she had the right to come and go as she pleased—but she refused to let the morning's unfortunate occurrence affect her in such a manner. So, instead, she sat uneasily in her seat and waited for the source of her tension and discontent to come out and fight. Maybe the brute would even lose – Regina sure would be cheering the loudest.

As it turned out, Emma did not lose. Gods be damned!

It wasn't fair, really, how Emma defeated her opponent in less than ten minutes. The audience was so mesmerised by the dazzling performance that they didn't even complain about the shortness of the battle. Removing her helmet, Emma grinned and bowed, first to the emperor and then to the crowd. Turning back to the section meant for the people of importance, she saluted almost mockingly, and Regina just knew in her gut that it was meant for her.

_That arrogant, little piece of..._

Seeing Emma fight, and unquestionably win (she was so preeminent, it was ridiculous), certainly did not help Regina forget her embarrassment. In fact, even later that evening, much to her dismay, she was still not quite over the earlier incident. Inexplicably, the patch of skin on her upper arm that the blonde gladiator had touched kept tingling in the most unpleasant of ways, and with great displeasure, she could still feel those muscular arms around her.

Forcefully yanking off the palla that was wrapped around her shoulders, she heard a small clinking sound as something metallic hit the floor. Bending over, she picked up a delicate silver necklace with a small pendant hanging from it. Frowning, Regina examined the simple piece of jewellery, turning the pendant over in her hand. It turned out to be a small silver coin with a picture of a swan embossed on it. Considering the unfamiliar item, Regina came to the conclusion that it must have somehow become attached to her clothes when the barbarian had (completely unnecessarily!) groped her earlier.

It figured that something so unattractive would belong to the blonde fighter. Tossing the necklace on the small table in the corner, Regina decided to return the ugly thing to the gladiator next time their paths would unfortunately meet. The sooner she got rid of the trinket the better.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

A week later, Vestal Regina was, once again, at the imperial palace. The line of people seeking for the emperor's audience seemed never-ending; Regina apathetically studied, from her seat beside the throne, how the various members of the nobility tried to convince the ruler of Rome to endorse their businesses. Generals bragged about their war accomplishments in faraway lands; farmers explained the state and importance of their crop; Senators and wannabe politicians wanted to impress the emperor with their political views. Titus was known for being a fair and generous leader; he had done everything possible to relieve the suffering after Mount Vesuvius had erupted and completely destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum only a year before. He was an emperor who wanted the best for his people, which is why the line of those who wished an audience with him was always long. This time, however, all of their causes felt particularly pointless and downright tedious.

But as the guard at the door announced the arrival of someone whose name seemed to be on everyone's lips nowadays, Regina perked up. In sauntered the infuriating gladiator who, lately, Regina seemed to be unable to shake out of her thoughts and, apparently, her life. Emma walked up to the emperor, one hand casually on the hilt of her sword. If she was surprised to see Regina in the room, she didn't let it show. The blonde dropped on one knee in front of them in obeisance, bowing her head. From the corner of her eye, Regina could see the emperor's bodyguards take a step forward and tighten their hold of their swords, just in case. It was not common that gladiators were allowed so close to the emperor.

"I was told Your Excellence requested for my presence," Emma said, her head still bowed.

"Indeed. Please, rise." Titus indicated for Emma to get on her feet again. "I wanted to meet the infamous fighter who, apparently, refuses to lose at my new arena." He regarded Emma with genuine curiosity. "Who is your lucky owner, gladiator?"

"A local businessman and an _ianista_ , goes by the name of Gold."

Regina's posture straightened at hearing the name: everyone knew him, or, rather, knew of him. Gold was the person people went to when they had a problem that needed to be taken care of, which also meant that he had dirt on everyone; he was essentially holding the fate of most of the Roman aristocracy in his hands. In turn, Gold made people dance to his tune whenever there was something he needed; he was, in every sense of the word, dangerous. The fact that he owned the most prized gladiator in all of Rome shouldn't have come as a surprise. It also explained why Emma was able to come and go almost as she pleased – she would never dare cross Gold, even with her relative freedom. Regina sensed the emperor tense next to her as well.

"He has made a fine investment, then. I have never seen anyone fight quite like you," the emperor complimented, not letting the displeasure he must have felt into his voice.

"Thank you, your Excellence."

"Where did you learn to wield the sword like that, Fighter?"

"I'm a warrior, your Excellence, from up North. I've carried a sword since I was three."

"Your fighting abilities are impressive indeed." Titus nodded, still regarding the woman before him with interest. "I expect you to put them to good use again soon," Titus said, signalling with a flick of a hand that the audience had come to an end.

Emma bowed again, but before she turned to leave, Regina saw the blonde's gaze shift to her. A quick wink aimed at the Vestal, a wink that Regina nearly missed (how _dared_ she act like that in her company?), and then the gladiator was strutting back towards the doors. Titus stood up from the throne, informing the court that he would retire to his personal quarters for the rest of the afternoon. Regina found herself getting up as well and, after a moment of hesitation, she hurried after the just departed woman. She caught up with her at the doorway.

"What did you mean, 'up North'?" Regina chastised herself for actually following the other woman out of the great hall and into the grandiose marble hallway just outside. It was so beneath her to follow _anyone_ ; but she was doing it in order to keep on top of things, that was all (that is what she told herself). After the assignment given by the emperor, Regina most certainly needed to know everything that went on in the capital, especially when Gold was involved. And, really, the star gladiator before her was definitely one of the essential pieces of the puzzle.

"What?" Emma turned around, her eyebrow slightly raised. The confused look on the fighter's face turned to that of amusement when she realised who was hot on her tail.

"I asked what you meant when you said you come from 'up North'? Do you understand the spoken word, or should I try drawing you a picture instead?" Regina couldn't help the snide remark.

"Are you always this bitchy to people who have saved your life?"

Regina bristled at the audacity of the woman.

"Are you always this ignorant in the company of your superiors?" Her voice took an icy quality, nails digging painfully into her palms as she tried to control her anger. "I asked where you are from."

"'Up North', as in, _up North_ ," Emma said meaningfully, but elaborated further when Regina just kept staring at her: "As in, north of the Rhine."

At those words, Regina's eyes widened before she was able to school her features and hide her surprise. No emperor had dared to venture across the Rhine after the humiliation of the Teuroburg Forest; un unfortunate battle that had effectively stopped the northward expansion of the empire, and the shameful outcome was still not talked about publically. And now, here was Emma, claiming to be one of _those_ people.

"You are one of those savages?" Regina asked, incredulously. "Figures." The slight accent in Emma's speech made sense now.

"You can be quite infuriating, you know that?" The blonde didn't seem to be at all taken aback by Regina's harsh estimate of her background, which, again, annoyed the Vestal greatly. Taking a few steps backwards, Emma smiled. "But just remember, one of those savages saved your life."

Regina scoffed. "Hardly; I was in no real danger."

"Of course, you weren't."

"Oh, that reminds me, I do believe this is yours." Reaching into a pocket in the inseam of her stola, Regina fetched the small pendant she had found after the carriage incident. Regarding it with obvious distaste as it dangled from her fingers, Regina tossed it across the distance to Emma. The gladiator caught it with ease.

"My necklace! I thought I'd lost it," she mused, examining it happily.

"I reckoned something that cheap would be yours," Regina sneered, looking away. "But a swan? Really?" She had to taunt the other woman just a tiny bit more.

"Swans are majestic creatures," Emma defended. "The way swans live their lives can be seen as inspirational, actually."

"Inspirational?" Regina scoffed incredulously. "You want to swim around in a pond and dine on water plants?"

Emma only chuckled, refusing to take the bait, much to Regina's dismay. "Well, thank you for returning this. It's the least you could do after I saved your posterior." Once again the carefree attitude acerbated Regina greatly.

"You did _not_ save my life," she said through gritted teeth.

The answering smirk on Emma's face was teasing as she turned to go, only to stop a couple of steps later. Quickly, she spun around, grin still in place, and sauntered back to stand in front of Regina. Before the brunette knew what was happening, Emma leaned in and crashed their lips together. Simultaneously, she took Regina's hand and pressed the pendant back to the Vestal's palm, wrapping Regina's fingers around it. The kiss—if it, indeed, could even be called that—was sloppy and wet, and it was over just as quickly as it had begun.

"Just an extra payment, you know, for my ultimate heroic deed. Oh, and keep the necklace; maybe one day you'll find it inspirational as well." Again grinning mischievously, Emma turned to go and was at the other end of the hallway before Regina was able to form any coherent thoughts.

"How dare you? Don't you know who I am!" she finally managed, enraged and eyes blazing, but Emma was already out of sight. She glanced down and saw the familiar coin with the swan nestled in her palm. Almost painfully squeezing her hand in a fist, she felt her cheeks burn with anger. Seething, she turned back to the great hall, vowing to get revenge on the blonde savage if it was the last thing she did.


	3. Three

**CHAPTER 3**

The following week, before she attended the games again, Regina was determined to do some digging on the irritating blonde who had the audacity to treat her like a commoner. As it turned out, she was, indeed, from the North. Her capture was due to Aulus Caecina Alienus and his legion which had patrolled Germania Superior and its eastern frontier near the Rhine. Somehow, she had been captured and, later, Aulus Caecina had brought their prisoner to Rome in order to demonstrate his abilities as a general. Apparently, that was all anyone knew, and the true identity of the gladiator remained a mystery – much to Regina's annoyance.

"There's no way her luck can continue much longer," Kathryn remarked as, once again, it was Emma's turn to take the stage.

"I don't know; her talent has seemed rather overwhelming." Regina hated to admit it, but it was true.

Emma seemed to be a genius when it came to wielding a sword, and her innovativeness while fighting was exactly what the public came to see in a gladiator fight. It wasn't about killing your opponent, it was about outsmarting them as cleverly as possible, and Emma certainly had that ability down to a't'.

"Oh, there she is!" Kathryn exclaimed as the gate of the underground ramp opened and two gladiators emerged from the darkness.

Regina watched as Emma walked confidently forward, obviously enjoying the enthusiastic bellowing of the crowds.

As the battle progressed, it became clear, once again, who the most talented party of the equation was. Regina loathed assenting to it, but no matter how obnoxious the blonde might be as a person, as a swordswoman Emma was the best there was, bar none. It was like watching a graceful dance, with the gladiator's every move purposeful and minutely precise.

"She's magnificent, isn't she?" a voice suddenly said from her left. Turning towards it, Regina came face to face with Gold.

"What?" She could have been slightly more eloquent in front of the most powerful member of the Roman nobility.

"Emma. My star fighter, she's rather magnificent, isn't she?" Gold repeated, leaning forward, taking in the latest of Emma's moves that ended up damaging her opponent's shield quite badly. "She might just be the best deal I've ever made."

"A deal?" Regina was immediately on her toes; nothing good ever came of deals with the snaky businessman. She herself ought to know that better than anyone.

"I bought her from Aulus Caecina for 10,000 sestertii." Regina's eyes widened at that – it was a _humongous_ amount of money. "But, as it turns out, she's easily worth at least double of that." Gold's eyes gleamed with smugness.

"That is quite an investment," Regina replied politely, trying to extricate herself from the situation, but Gold pertinaciously held on to it.

"That it is." He turned fully to her. "You see, the thing about investments is that you need to be able to see their value ahead of time, to see their true potential before anyone else does. The investments I make now possibly won't benefit me until years from this moment."

"You certainly have the experience," Regina complimented politely, turning to look towards the arena again as the fight had just reached a critical point.

From the corner of her eye, Regina saw Gold looking at her then, his eyes piercing and not a little complacent. It was as if he knew something she didn't and took great pleasure in that knowledge.

"That I do. That I do indeed." As he turned forward again, Emma delivered the final blow, injuring her opponent so that he couldn't get up again. A satisfied smile spread on Gold's lips. "Like I said, worth every ounce of silver." With that, he stood up, ready to leave, leaning heavily on his cane. "Would the Priestesses do me the honour of attending my humble party later this week? I'm sure you would enjoy it tremendously."

"It would be my pleasure." It was impossible for Regina to turn down the invitation, and Kathryn nodded uncomfortably as well.

"Excellent." With that he was gone.

"What in Jupiter's name was that?" Kathryn asked quietly, and Regina wished she knew the answer to that.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Pointless parties weren't something Regina particularly enjoyed, but her role as a Vestal priestess sometimes obligated her to partake in the most ridiculous social events. The present gathering was no exception, and she would have gladly stayed away if the Vestals weren't especially invited by the host. Aurora had drawn the short straw (or as Regina saw it, the _lucky_ straw), staying behind to guard the temple.

Standing pensively in the corner of the room, Regina surveyed the dozens and dozens of people milling about, everyone more or less the cream of the crop, the highest of the Roman elite, barring the emperor. They were all gathered at Gold's luxurious villa just outside the city; the walls were decorated with elaborate frescoes, and Regina had never seen such a detailed mosaic than the one which embellished the floor of that very room. The villa was an embodiment of wealth and influence. Inside, wine flowed, secrets were shared, and alliances were formed, which, Regina supposed, was precisely the reason they had all been invited by their esteemed host.

As if on cue, the feeble-looking man walked towards the centre of the room, leaning on his cane as he went. Much to Regina's chagrin, Gold spotted her standing without company and approached her. Regina mentally prepared herself for the interaction.

"Regina," Gold greeted her, the ever-present, pompous smile gracing his lips. It was the ultimate showcase of power, too, that he refused to address her as a priestess; at least in theory, she was supposed to be higher on the society's food chain.

"Gold," Regina said, not bothering to hide her displeasure.

"I'm so glad you could make it." Her answering smile was as insincere as she could muster. "I hope the party isn't too monotonous and uninteresting for you, dear." He sipped his wine and stood there with an air of superiority around him.

"Oh, not at all; it is positively divine."

"Hmmh, well, it is about to get even more divine, I can tell you that."

"Oh?"

"You know me; I never miss an opportunity to remind people of the power I might possess." He looked at her meaningfully, and she couldn't help swallowing.

"Is there something I should be aware of?" she asked defiantly, looking him straight in the eye.

"Oh, always so distrusting." He shook his head mockingly. "No, I simply think a person always ought to remember those who were responsible for their career advancements."

With that, he limped away, leaving her to her own devices again. Before she had time to wonder what exactly he had meant by his last comment, there was a commotion at the entrance.

"Could I have your attention, please?" Gold raised his voice and the room quieted down. "As you all know, I am, first and foremost, a businessman. Many of you are also aware that one of my hobbies is gladiators, which is fortunate, since it can most wonderfully be merged with the business side of things."

Regina heard excited murmuring as there was movement somewhere around Gold. The distinguishable sound of shackles gave her a pretty good idea of what Gold's little speech was about: what a better occasion to show off his assets than in a room full of Roman aristocracy. And, at the moment, there was only one asset Rome wanted to see.

"My best fighter, who has won her last fifteen fights!" Gold stated and the room erupted in chatter and whistling.

Regina moved closer to the action and was finally able to see the centre of the room and the lone gladiator standing in it, an emotionless look on her face. She felt a wave of irritation wash over her when her eyes landed on the golden locks and slender body recognisable anywhere; their last meeting at the imperial palace was still fresh in Regina's mind, and she could have sworn she felt her lips tingle at the memory. This time, however, instead of the mischievous grin, or the look of utter confidence, Emma seemed almost detached, impassive. In order to guarantee the safety of his guests in the presence of such a savage, Gold had chained the gladiator's hands together – although Regina was fairly sure it was just for show. Angry, red indentations were already forming on the blonde's fair skin.

"Let me brag a little," Gold continued, earning chuckles around the room. He rounded the standing gladiator, gesturing towards her oiled skin which made the perfectly formed muscles stand out even more. "I don't think my, dare I say it, most precious investment, needs introductions." The crowd went wild, but toned down their excitement a little when Gold continued: "Fifteen victories without a single injury inflicted upon her, which is no easy feat for a savage. Best sword fighter out there at the moment. She's going to go far, and I'd be willing to bet against anyone who fights against her."

People hollered everything from encouragements to downright profanities, but the blonde gladiator stood completely still, letting it all wash over her. Regina watched as Gold kept poking her, showing of her finely toned muscles and incredible physique – essentially treating her like a piece of meat. Regina needed to remind herself that that's exactly what Emma was: a slave, a piece of property without identity. The clamour around her continued, but the only indication of Emma's annoyance at the situation was the slight tightening of her neck muscles, which Regina barely caught as she kept staring at the sight in front of her.

Despite seeing gladiators being shown off countless times before, this time, it somehow felt wrong to watch. She saw Emma's fingers twitch when Gold actually cupped her breasts, to ensure the few sceptical onlookers that she was, indeed, woman in every way. Some people wolf-whistled and Regina had to look away, appalled. She should've felt satisfaction over the other woman's humiliation, but, inexplicably, she didn't. Maybe it was the fact that Emma was a woman, but the Vestal suddenly felt nauseous at the disgusting display she had been practically forced to watch. It didn't matter that she, herself, desperately wanted to teach the barbarian a lesson. Needing some air, she stepped away from the crowd and quickly made her way to the courtyard doors. Stepping outside into Gold's private garden, the cool evening air soothingly washed over her.

Regina wasn't sure how long she stood outside, leaning against a railing and breathing deeply, but she was jostled back to the present when she heard faint footsteps approaching her.

"Hello, dear." The voice behind her made the hair at the back of Regina's neck stand up. Gingerly, she turned to face the owner of the voice.

"Hello, mother," she replied tensely, smiling an insincere smile.

"How have you been, dear?" Cora leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. Regina automatically flinched at the contact, which didn't go unnoticed. "Truly, Regina, I'm hurt; I only inquired how things have been lately."

"Fine, mother, how's daddy?"

Regina hated the power her mother had over her, even after all these years. It was something that had been drilled into her, from the beginning; she had learned at an early age that her mother was holding the ropes, and she herself was simply a pawn to be used. Cutting those ropes should have been easy, but here she was, 30 years later, still afraid of her.

"Oh, he's fine. Business in Florence, he'll be back next week." Cora waved her hand dismissively. "But enough about that fool, I need to talk to you about something."

"What is it this time?" The moment she had seen Cora approach her, Regina knew there was something she needed. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to like it; nothing ever came free with that woman, there was always an ulterior motive to her actions.

"I heard you visited the court the other day." It was said innocently enough, but Regina wasn't fooled for a second.

"Yes, the emperor invited me to oversee the audience." It was common practice to have a Vestal present at the court, but lately, Regina had found herself being picked over the others nine times out of ten.

"Wonderful." Cora clasped her hands together. "The emperor has taken quite a liking to you, dear."

"What is your point, mother?"

"My point is that you having access to the emperor's entourage might come in handy one day."

"Haven't I done enough of your bidding already?" Regina kept her voice level, trying to attract as little attention as possible. Fortunately, the few other people out in the garden didn't seem to notice her discomfort.

"Regina, dear, I got you where you are today." Cora's face hardened, and suddenly, Regina was back to being thirteen, back to fearing what her mother might to do her. "You do what I ask you to do, is that clear?"

"Yes," Regina replied through gritted teeth.

"You forget that you are a Vestal only because I decided you would be one. I gave you your privileged life and I can just as easily take it away." It was said lightly, as if Regina was simply a piece on a game board, a piece which Cora now needed to move.

"What is it that you want?" Regina said, deflated. It was always the same: she tried to rebel, to find a sliver of freedom in the world, but her mother succeeded in pulling her even closer than before. There was no way out.

"Oh, nothing, but I suggest you keep bending to the emperor's will, so that he will keep you in his grace." She leaned in again, giving another peck on Regina's cheek and whispering in her ear: "You never know what opportunities might rise up."

With that, Cora gave her one last smile of what Regina considered to be pure evil and left her to stand alone again. She had a nagging feeling that whatever her mother wanted from her, it wasn't going to be good. She took a steadying breath and returned to the party, nearly bumping into Granny just inside the doors.

The older woman observed her for a moment before glancing over her shoulder to where Cora had disappeared to. Then she cryptically said: "I hope you remember what I told you a little while ago. The snakes are everywhere."

"I don't unders-,"

"Just be careful," Granny said quietly and turned to go.

Before Regina had a chance to comment further, or wonder if the comment was really aimed at her mother, she spotted Kathryn coming her way.

"Kathryn, I'm going to head back."

"What? Already? But we haven't even gotten to the feast yet."

"I know, but I'm tired. Gold's wine must not agree with me." Regina prayed that Kathryn wouldn't question her further, because her nerves were in shreds, and she really didn't want to snap at her friend for simply being concerned.

"All right." Kathryn looked doubtful, but fortunately, let it be. "I'll go and let Claude know you need a carriage."

"No, that's fine. I'd rather walk, clear my head."

"Just stay alert. You know they don't like us walking about alone." Kathryn's eyes momentarily strayed to Cora standing on the other side of the room, which Regina noticed. "You sure everything's okay?" she asked pointedly.

"Kathryn, please. Everything is fine; I simply need some fresh air."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow, yes."

Regina made her way calmly across the room and to the door, politely exchanging greetings with people she passed. But the moment she was outside, her pace quickened; she could only think of one place to go, a place she always chose when she needed to be alone.

The building she was looking for wasn't far from Gold's villa, and after ten minutes she stepped up at a black, wooden door. Opening it and sliding quietly inside the now empty bathhouse, Regina walked slowly to its only pool and kicked off her sandals. She sat on the edge, letting her feet dangle and touch the surface of the now lukewarm water. At sunset, the fires beneath the floor had been quenched for the night, but the cool night air had not robbed all the warmth in the water just yet. Torches were still alight, casting a pleasant light around the space.

Moments like this were rare; her days were so full of the various duties of a Vestal—which meant that she was constantly surrounded by people—that simply being alone was something Regina valued high. This particular bathhouse was a place she visited quite often, because no one ever came there after dark. It was small and intimate, and it was also close enough to the temple so that she could walk back afterwards, often without being noticed by anyone. Because of the fairly small size of the bathhouse, the building was not known to many, and that usually weeded out all random passers-by that might possibly disturb Regina's precious moments of solitude.

Deep in thought, Regina didn't register the faint sound of footsteps at first, but when someone was obviously mere metres away from her, she suddenly realised that some unfortunate soul had found her secret hiding place after all. Her head whipped around and she instinctively raised her arms in order to protect herself from whoever dared approach her. As soon as she saw who the intruder was, her features morphed from surprised to annoyed in the span of a second.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me. Who gave you permission to bother me?" she asked angrily when Emma of all people came to a halt next to her.

"Last time I checked, this was a public bathhouse." Unfazed by Regina's obvious irritation, Emma sat down on the edge as well and dipped her feet in the water. A happy sigh escaped her lips as the water caressed her skin. She dipped her hands in it as well and rubbed the obviously sore wrists that had been bound together only a while ago.

"How on earth did you get here? Did you follow me?" Regina asked, still very much irritated by the inconvenience.

"Why would I follow you here?" Emma chuckled. "No. Someone mentioned this place the other day and I wanted to check it out after the earlier ridiculousness."

"Well, you have 'checked it out' now. This is my private place of relaxation, so I suggest you move right along."Her tone was as authoritative as she could bring about. "As soon as you have apologised for your utterly indecent behaviour last time, of course." Regina straightened her posture in indignation.

"You're not big on sharing, are you?" Emma made no move to get up, which riled up Regina even more. "Well, I'm here now, so just bear it. And I'm not going to apologise, since I've done nothing wrong."

"Excuse me?" Regina's eyes flashed at the crudeness of the other woman. She simply had no respect for those above her, and Regina certainly wasn't used to people treating her like a commoner. "Don't you have any respect for this empire? Vestals are sacrosanct!"

"Look, it seems we're both tired. Can't we just enjoy the water, and the quiet, and not fight? I promise to shut up, I won't say a word." For emphasis, Emma lay down on the cool tile floor, crossed her arms behind her head and closed her eyes.

Good gods, this woman ticked her off! Huffing, Regina crossed her arms in front of her and brooded, refusing to let Emma win by giving up her space. They stayed like that for a while, and Regina found that Emma was at least capable of keeping her promise, because the blonde didn't utter a word during the entire time – even if her breathing did sound unnaturally loud in the otherwise silent room. Finally, Emma gingerly sat up and then got on her feet, stretching her sore muscles.

"Well then, it's time for me to bid you farewell. Thank you for the delightful company, your Eminence." Emma did a mock bow and Regina rolled her eyes. "Maybe we'll bump into each other here again."

"I sincerely hope not," Regina said icily, refusing to look at the other woman. Emma chuckled.

"I'll get you to like me yet." The Vestal could practically hear the grin in Emma's voice. "I'm going to figure you out, Regina."

"Most people wouldn't dare call me by my first name." Regina's tone was bordering on threatening.

"I'm sure you've noticed by now, but I'm not most people."

There was a shuffling of feet, and then she could hear footsteps move away from her. A moment later, they disappeared completely, and Regina found she was alone again.

Inexplicably, she almost missed the sound of the steady breathing next to her. After the stressful evening she'd had, the stillness and quiet of the bathhouse suddenly felt almost suffocating.


	4. Four

**CHAPTER 4**

As it turned out, during the next few weeks, Regina kept running into the blonde gladiator whenever she decided to take a moment to relax in the bathhouse. At times, Emma had even arrived first, which ticked Regina off tremendously, but she refused to give in and forfeit the game. There was no way a goddamn barbarian would banish her from what she still considered as her space.

Every time, it was the same: they sat at the edge of the pool, both in their own thoughts, without saying a word to each other. Apart from the mischievous grin Emma would always aim at Regina upon seeing her, they didn't pay much attention to each other at all. It was as if there was a silent agreement etched between them, and both were happy to follow the unspoken rules.

It wasn't until one evening, weeks into this strange game they were playing, that Emma suddenly spoke up, and Regina nearly had a heart attack at the unexpected interruption.

"Do you play dice?"

"Do I what?" Regina asked incredulously.

"Dice?" Emma waved a pair in the air. "Do you know how to play dice?"

"Are you honestly not aware that such gambling is illegal in these parts?" Regina asked, appalled. "Besides, do I look like a commoner to you?" she scoffed.

"Definitely not." Emma smiled. "But I happen to know that even the emperor isn't a stranger to a game every now and again. So, you see, it's not that lowly a habit."

"Your point?"

"I'm asking you to play a game of dice with me, Regina." Emma shook her head in exasperation.

"Me? Play dice with you? You must be deranged."

"Are you seriously telling me that you'd rather sit here, in silence, doing nothing, than play one, silly round with me?"

"That would be correct, yes."

"Come on, one game. One. And I'll shut up, I promise." Emma tilted her head, trying to catch Regina's eye. "Please?"

"Fine! If it will get you to just leave me alone."

Emma's face lit up, and Regina already regretted her decision. "Best of five."

"Just throw the dice."

Emma won the first round, Regina the second. They kept playing, until the game was tied, four to four. Grinning again, Emma threw the dice and made a cheering gesture; she was obviously certain of her win. Annoyed at the possibility of losing to a barbarian like Emma, of all people, Regina took the dice again. Glaring at the other woman, she dropped them and hoped for the best.

"Would you look at that, victory!" Emma raised her arms in the air, and Regina squeezed her hands in tight fists. _Shit._

"Nothing but luck, Swan." The brunette said through gritted teeth, hating herself for actually caring about the outcome of a silly game.

"Do I have a nickname now?" Regina noticed her slip too late, but refused show it to the blonde. "As for the luck, well, we'll see about that." Emma winked.

"What's that supposed to mean?" How it was possible for this woman to irritate her so much, Regina had no idea. But, more importantly, why didn't she simply put an end to it? She could easily destroy this brute, squash her under her thumb like a mosquito; she certainly had the power. But something in Regina prevented her from doing exactly that, which confused her more than anything.

"Tomorrow, we'll play another round."

"Oh, is that so?" Regina scoffed, staring at the ripples her feet formed on the water's surface.

"Yes, we'll play as long as it takes for you to win. And, as you well know, I don't usually lose my battles, so it might take a while." Emma stood up, pocketing the dice, and with a grin still plastered across her face.

"That cocky attitude of yours isn't flattering."

"Simply stating a fact, my lady." Emma shrugged, the confidence flowing off of her in waves.

"Well, I suppose we'll see about that tomorrow," Regina challenged, a determined look on her face as she looked at her opponent. She was going to win if it was the last thing she did.

"Till we meet again, my rival." Emma mock saluted and turned on her heels, once again leaving Regina alone with her thoughts.

After a moment of silence, Regina frowned.

"Wait. What in Apollo's name just happened?" she muttered, shaking her head slightly and a small, unexpected smile that she couldn't quite fight played on her lips.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Annoyingly enough, Emma kept on winning, day after day. They sat at the edge of the pool, playing in silence, but no matter how many times Regina tried, the luck seemed to forever favour the blonde. This went on for quite a while until, one day, Emma wanted to change the rules again.

"Let's make this interesting, shall we?" Regina narrowed her eyes at Emma's tone of voice.

"What now?"

"Best of five. If I win, _again_ , I get to ask you a question," Emma stated.

"A question? What question?"

"I don't know yet, but if I win, you need to answer that question truthfully."

"How would you know if I'm being truthful?"

"I don't, but somehow I don't think Vestals are supposed to lie."

"Still though, why do you want to ask me a question? And, more importantly, what makes you think I should answer it at all?"

"Because you intrigue me, Regina, and, apparently, the only way I can get something out of you is if I win and the prize is that I get to ask you something."

"Right," Regina chuckled. "Good luck with that."

This time, Regina didn't even stand a chance: she lost two to five. Gritting her teeth, she snatched the dice from the floor and examined them like she had done many times before.

"You're cheating. You must be."

"No, you said it yourself: luck." Regina wanted to slap the smugness right out of the blonde. "So, are you ready for my question?"

"In no point did I actually agree to that," Regina remarked, still brooding. Emma wasn't having any of it.

"Let's see, how about you tell me the happiest memory you have from your childhood?" Emma leaned back on her elbows, as if waiting for Regina to start the storytelling.

"That is your question?" Regina asked disbelievingly.

"That is my question."

"It's a ridiculous question."

"You're avoiding answering it."

"What if I am?"

"Stop stalling, woman. Your happiest memory, what is it?"

Regina turned her eyes away. "You're unbelievable. Fine, I suppose it's the time my parents took me to Circus Maximus when I was eight. I got to meet emperor Claudius, which completely changed my life." Clearing her throat, she looked up at Emma again. "So, I guess that's my happiest memory. Satisfied?"

"You're lying."

Regina's eyes widened.

"Excuse me?"

"You're lying. I just can't figure out why." Emma tilted her head to the side and eyed Regina curiously.

"Are you truly accusing a Vestal of lying, Swan?"

"You know, I have this...ability, if you will." Emma leaned back on her elbows again, still intently studying the other woman.

"An ability?" Regina rolled her eyes.

"Yes. I can tell when people are lying." She leaned closer to Regina. "And you, my friend, are."

Regina decided to ignore the obvious _friend_ bait.

"Well then, it seems this is the first time your _ability_ has failed you," Regina stated smugly. "I really did go to Circus Maximus when I was eight. And I did meet the emperor."

"Oh, I'm not questioning that." At Regina's confused look, she elaborated: "I'm sure that happened, it's just not your happiest memory."

"I think this is quite enough for today." Regina cleared her throat and got to her feet. Straightening her mantle and pulling the fabric tighter around herself, she refused to meet the other woman's eyes. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Regina." The tone of her voice let Regina know that Emma wasn't going to press it; the question had simply hit too close to home, and she was not ready to go there. With anyone.

Without a backward glance, Regina walked out of the bathhouse, feeling oddly emotional because of the memories—or perhaps because of the lack of them—swirling in her head.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

For the next few days, Regina decided to skip the bathhouse evening ritual altogether. She told herself that there simply wasn't time, but in reality, it was because she still felt oddly rattled by the last conversation she'd had with the blonde gladiator. She knew Emma had noticed her strange behaviour; the Vestal having bolted so quickly the other day that it was bound to have raised some questions. Those questions were the ones she didn't particularly want to answer, and that's why she decided to get her Swan fix from the amphitheatre instead. It was ridiculous how used to going to the games she was by now, and how much she actually looked forward to seeing Emma fight.

"I knew I'd get you hooked on this sport eventually!" Kathryn yelled over the clamour of the crowd, a somewhat self-satisfied look on her face which Regina decided to ignore.

"I'm hardly hooked," Regina yelled back, but her attention was already turned to the next pair of gladiators walking towards the emperor. She missed Kathryn smiling amusedly next to her.

Glancing at her programme, the brunette saw that Emma was battling Palumbus, a fairly distinguished gladiator. He was a murmillo, a gladiator who carried a large shield, leg protection and a sword. The shield was fairly difficult to get past, but the heaviness of it made it exhausting to use in the long run. If Emma showed the similar kind of fastness and agility as in every previous fight, Palumbus shouldn't be hard to beat.

As Regina watched Emma and Palumbus take their positions after greeting the emperor, she suddenly realised that she now actually cared about the outcome of the battle. She wanted to see Emma win; any other conclusion would simply be unacceptable – if for no other reason than she needed someone to squabble with. _Damn you, Swan._

This time, Emma didn't wait for her opponent to make the first move, but charged at Palumbus with her sword raised. It was the wisest tactic, because of the strain caused to Palumbus by the shield. He easily blocked the attack with said shield and, in turn, took a swing at Emma which the latter sidestepped with her usual grace. The battle went on following a similar script: Emma attacked, trying to get her opponent to move around as much as possible in order to tire him out, and Palumbus blocked her and attempted counterattacks to the best of his ability.

The first moment of excitement occurred when, following a swing of her sword, Emma's foot slipped on the smooth sand and she momentarily lost her balance. Palumbus immediately saw his opportunity and thrust his sword towards Emma's torso. Fortunately, Emma saw the attack and was able to partially fix her footing, but the weapon still made contact with skin, slicing through her upper arm. The crowd (Regina included) gasped, simply because they were not used to seeing the star fighter get injured.

Blood spilled through the wound and trickled down to Emma's elbow. Regina saw as Emma glanced down at the damage and then back up again, tilting her head as if saying, _you did_ not _just do that_. With even more vigour, she grasped her sword tighter and attacked. The battle was over in ten minutes. Emma's delaying tactic had finally worn Palumbus out, and he was no match to the nimble woman. Blood spilled on the sand, and, after the crowd's insistence, the emperor gave Emma the signal to end Palumbus' suffering.

The audience roared louder than ever before as Emma raised her arm above her head and puffed up her chest in victory. Regina saw the emperor smile gleefully: a successful battle equalled a satisfied audience, and a satisfied audience supported the ruler who provided the unforgettable experience. Turning back to the gladiator standing in the arena, Regina suddenly realised that Emma was staring right at the Vestal section of the stands. Even with her helmet on, Regina could feel the green eyes bore into her, and she involuntarily shivered.

Turning away again and raising her sword one more time, Emma marched out of the battling field. The overwhelming cheers of the spectators accompanied her to the gate and beyond.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

That night, Regina gave in and headed for the bathhouse again. It's not like she was there for Emma anyway, because the place had been her personal hiding place to begin with.

"Oh, are my eyes deceiving me? Is it really the infamous Vestal Regina, making an appearance in this humble bathhouse?" Emma teased as she saw Regina making her way towards the pool. "I thought you'd abandoned me completely."

"I do have a life, Swan," Regina stated indifferently and, after kicking off her sandals, sat on her usual spot.

"Still, three days, Regina? Do you know how boring it is to play dice against _yourself_?" Regina willed herself not to smile. Instead, the Vestal's eyes involuntarily found their way to Emma's hastily bandaged upper arm. The blonde obviously noticed, because she continued: "My first injury as a gladiator, how about that? Not to worry, though, it's just a scratch."

"Yes, it's not like it was a real injury."

"Seriously? " Emma rolled her eyes. "Now you think I can't even hurt myself properly?"

"Like I said, there are worse things a sword can inflict."

"Oh, whatever." The blonde shook her head. "I know you care. Otherwise, you wouldn't be here right now."

And there it was again, that signature grin which let Regina know that she was being relentlessly teased. _That_ aggravated her more than anything.

"Don't flatter yourself," Regina sneered, suddenly wanting to bring Emma down a peg or two.

"Are you telling me that, after everything, you don't like me even one bit?" Emma asked, genuinely this time. Regina opened her mouth, but didn't say anything. The realisation dawned on her that she _had_ , in fact, come to somewhat like Emma during the past month. A Vestal wasn't supposed to like anyone; it was too big of a gamble. The mixed feelings of surprise, being uncomfortable and, yes, fear caused the walls Regina had carefully built around herself to snap back in place.

"Oh, please." Her eyes turned cold. "The thing is, you gladiators think you're the cream of the crop, don't you, running around the arena, imposing as much damage on your opponent as possible, and expecting people to adore you for your deeds? If you really think about it, you're essentially prostituting your body in public. But, let me tell you, enjoying that lifestyle doesn't make you better than everybody else of your stature. At the end of the day, you're all still savages."

Satisfied with her monologue of insults, Regina gave a self-satisfied smile, waiting for Emma to retaliate like she always did. Only, this time, she was met with only silence. When she eventually glanced back at the blonde, there was a hard look on her face that Regina had never seen before. And when the other woman finally spoke, her voice was low and emotionless.

"Do you honestly believe I _enjoy_ this?" Emma asked, her tone dangerously even. "Do you honestly believe that I _want_ to do this?" The last part was nearly spat out.

"Are you saying you don't?" Regina raised her eyebrow, suddenly feeling uncertain and not entirely sure what to expect from the other woman. She had never seen her like this.

"For Jupiter's sake, Regina! I was a prisoner of war! I was captured in front of my father who had to watch your precious soldiers drag me away from my family, from everything I knew. I was transported like cattle all the way across the empire, and to do what? To fight against other poor souls, like me, who've had their freedom stripped away from them. To stand half naked in a room full of your fucking nobility just so they can ogle at Gold's most precious possession. And now, the only thing remaining, the only thing I have left is my life; which I need to fight for on a regular basis, just because _you_ want to be entertained!" Emma's voice had significantly risen, her accent becoming more pronounced with every uttered word. "So, yes, I appreciate ordinary people's admiration. I appreciate some of them occasionally letting me bed them and helping me forget for a while. I'm trying to be positive and find things to make me happy, because if I paid attention to how awful my life actually is, I'd go insane."

Emma took a steadying breath and got on her feet again. She then continued, her voice calmer: "So, please, don't tell me how I supposedly find enjoyment in what I do when, actually, I have absolutely no choice in the matter."

The gladiator strode away without another word, which was just as well, because Regina had no idea how to respond to Emma's outburst anyway. She hadn't really ever thought about it from the fighter's point of view, because to her, the gladiators on the arena were simply slaves, a means of entertainment. It had never crossed her mind how they had ended up there in the first place, how they might've actually had lives before it.

The ironic thing was, though, that the more Regina thought about it, the more she was aware of the fact that she and Emma's pasts and experiences were actually similar in many ways.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

A few days later, a messenger, again, came for Regina, informing her that the emperor wanted to see her immediately. She arrived at the palace an hour later, bracing herself for the upcoming conversation.

"Your Eminence." Regina bowed deeply. The emperor nodded slightly, giving her permission to stand up straight again. "You called."

With a flick of his wrist, Titus sent his personal guards out of the room, giving them the privacy they needed for the awkward talk Regina knew was coming. As the door clicked shut behind the Vestal, the emperor rose from his throne.

"Any word on the issue we discussed a while ago?" He walked to a nearby table and poured himself a goblet of wine.

"Only bits and pieces, I'm afraid, nothing solid." It wasn't exactly a lie – she didn't know anything for sure, and she wasn't prepared to share her speculation with him, at least not yet.

"What does that mean exactly?" Titus turned back to her, the goblet halfway to his lips.

"It means that there is talk, yes, but nothing I would consider an outright threat."

Regina tried not to fidget when the emperor eyed her for a moment before slowly making his way to the window looking out to the courtyard. Standing with his back to her, he gulped down the rest of the wine before speaking again.

"I hope you don't take me for a fool, Priestess." He turned back to look at her. "I am well aware of your... _connections_."

"I am not entirely sure I follow, your Eminence. Connections?" Regina's brow knit together.

"Your mother."

Regina swallowed. "What about her?"

"I know her well, which is why I am certain she's a part of this plot I keep hearing about. Now, I understand loyalty to parents, believe me I do, but as a Vestal, _your_ loyalties should lie with the empire." He took a few steps towards her. "Which is why it will not be tolerated if it turns out you have been holding out on me simply to avoid implicating someone close to you by blood."

"I am not holding out on your Highness, I swear."

"Yet."

"I can assure you, your Eminence, my relationship with my mother is complicated at best."

"That is what I'm counting on." Titus took his place at the throne again. "You see, combining that with the fact that your duty as a Vestal is to be faithful to the empire, I would like to think you won't try something as foolish as deceiving me."

"I am not trying to deceive you, your Highness." Regina bowed her head again.

"Good. I'm glad we got that settled." He nodded, satisfied. "Now, I want to know with whom Cora is working, and what their objective is. If she were to approach you, I want you to get that information from her."

"I will try my best, Your Eminence."

"Not enough. Try even harder." His tone of voice was the most authoritative she had ever heard from him. "Would you please tell the guards to return as you leave?"

"Certainly."

Making her way out of the great hall and of the palace, Regina felt the bitter sense of humiliation burn deep within her. Ever since her training period had ended and she had begun taking part in the ceremonies outside of the temple, the emperor had inexplicably favoured her. First, she had simply thought he found her pretty, nice to look at, but as time had moved on, she had started to wonder if maybe he truly saw something special in her; if he saw something that made her worthy of the various imperial duties of a Vestal.

It shouldn't have hurt as much as it did to learn that the sole reason the emperor had wished her to be around was to make sure she could be used later on for political scheming. In hindsight, she should have expected it, her mother being who she was; but the woman in her, the one who had never truly been valued by anyone, had been willing to believe someone, for once, saw her as a person, rather than an object.

Her thoughts automatically turned to Emma – as they often did, nowadays. She wondered if Emma saw her similarly as well, as a challenging object she simply liked playing with for fun.

The thought that she might hurt more than Regina thought possible.


	5. Five

**CHAPTER 5**

The moon was already high in the sky when Regina walked to the altar at the Temple of Vesta and sprinkled _mola salsa_ , a sacred mixture of flour and salt, on the surface, sanctifying it for the night to come. Unlike the other Vestals, Regina actually enjoyed the night duty, because there was no need to socialise with anyone; she didn't need to keep up the Vestal appearances for the sake of other people. No, she was simply able to be herself, guarding the holy fire in silence.

Only, this time, she almost wished Kathryn would have surprised her and stayed up to keep her company—of course she didn't, Kathryn knew how much Regina valued the nights of solitude—because her own thoughts were a tangled up mess in her head. After the latest visit to the imperial palace, Regina had finally comprehended how much she had come to rely on the late night meetings with Emma; without being able to forget certain matters while playing a silly game of dice, Regina was constantly tense and on edge. Frustrated, she put away the salsa container a little bit too forcefully, inwardly cursing the day she had laid eyes on Gladiator Swan. A Vestal was never supposed to feel remorse for something she said, but gods be damned, Regina actually felt bad for assuming the worst of Emma. Never mind that she couldn't possibly have known Emma's story beforehand.

Earlier that day, Regina had gone to the games and, somehow, she had seen Emma through completely different eyes. She now understood that, rather than doing it for the fame and glory, Emma simply fought in order to keep her life; there was nothing glorious about it. And Regina knew that the alternative for war prisoners, being a slave in one of Rome's notorious lead mines, was unthinkable, because it meant almost certain death. No, Emma being a gladiator was definitely better.

How on earth it had happened, Regina had no idea, but, somehow, she had gone from absolutely despising the other woman to tolerating her and, now, apparently, even somewhat liking her. _She's a gladiator, for crying out loud!_ Regina reminded herself as she slowly walked into the most sacred section of the temple that hosted the hearth. She circled around the fire, making sure that nothing was preventing it from burning, before she walked back outside to the altar and sat down on the marble steps.

She sat there for a long time, alternating between feeling embarrassed for her behaviour and cursing Emma to the deepest pits of the underworld. The fact, however, remained that Emma had managed to do something no one else had in a long time: during their ridiculous games of dice, for just a moment, she had made Regina forget that her life was not her own, that Regina wasn't in charge of her own destiny. For an instant, it had just been Emma and Regina, playing dice and bickering about how Emma was clearly cheating. As Regina now looked at the fire in the other room, the magnitude of her position, the expectations and demands of those around her, truly hit her. For the first time during her 13-year-long service, she let the tiny voice at the back of her head voice itself in the form of a thought: _what if this isn't where I am supposed to be after all?_

It must have been several hours after midnight when Regina suddenly became aware of someone else's presence in the temple. Before she had time to become alarmed, the person made themselves known by taking a few hesitant steps inside the grandiose space.

"Am I allowed to be here?" Emma asked nervously, hovering uncertainly at the entrance.

Regina cleared her throat. "Yes, it is the inner sanctum that is off limits." Emma nodded, taking a couple more steps and putting out the torch she had been carrying. They remained silent, staring at each other.

It was Emma who cracked first. "I'm sorry," she blurted out, scratching the back of her head. "I shouldn't have gone off the way I did. It's just a sore subject, that's all."

"Well," Regina finally seemed able to find her voice. "I suppose someone might also claim that I wasn't the most tactful either." That was all she was willing to admit, Emma could take it or leave it. It's not like she _cared_. Much.

"Would you look at that, our first fight." Emma chuckled and walked to Regina, the remains of her earlier hesitance still evident in the way she walked. Gingerly, she sat next to the Vestal, fiddling with the hem of her cloak. "So, this is where the magic happens, huh?"

"I'm sorry?"

"This is where you make sure Rome prevails, right?"

"This is where the eternal flame is kept, yes."

"Fascinating."

"What are you doing here, Em-, Swan?" If Emma heard her partial slip, she didn't let it show. "Apart from asking for my forgiveness for being a brute."

The blonde rolled her eyes, getting more comfortable on the hard steps. "Believe it or not, Regina, but I've become accustomed to our little meetings at the bathhouse. For some strange reason, those meetings help me relax, which is why I, then, concentrate better when I'm fighting." She shrugged. "And, since I'm not fighting tomorrow, I decided to come and keep you company."

"How did you know I would be here tonight?" Regina frowned.

"Well, you weren't here the past three nights, so I figured your turn would be soon enough."

"You've been waiting here the past three nights?" Regina asked incredulously.

"You didn't come to the bathhouse," Emma said as if it was the most obvious explanation in the history of mankind, but there was still a faint blush on her cheeks.

The silence that fell between them was the most comfortable one they had shared in a long time. Regina kept stealing glances at the blonde sitting next to her, in awe that someone would actually want to talk to her so badly that they camped outside the temple for four nights in a row. It was then that Regina fully understood; right from the beginning, what had set Emma apart from all the others who had attempted to make her acquaintance over the years. Emma wasn't at all interested in the glory and fame of a Vestal; she was interested in _her_ , just Regina. There was no agenda, no attempts to climb higher in the social hierarchy with the assistance of a high priestess of the empire. No, Emma simply wanted to get to know _Regina_ , which deeply affected the priestess, because, after what she had learned at the imperial palace a few days earlier, she hadn't been sure if anyone had ever genuinely wanted to know her for herself.

"How long have you been here?" Regina suddenly asked. "When were you captured, I mean?"

"I'm not entirely sure." At Regina's curious look, Emma elaborated: "My perception of time was a little off when they hauled me across the empire. I can't even remember it that well, other than that it took a while. In the city, well, I've been training at the gladiator school for almost two years."

"That's a long time."

"That it is." Emma smiled sadly. "I'm hoping to see my parents again one day. The thought of that is what keeps me going."

"How will you manage that?" Regina raised her brows.

"I'll keep battling at the arena for as long as it takes. If I win enough times, the emperor is bound to grant me a pardon."

"And after that, you'd be free." Regina nodded in understanding.

"Yeah." Emma tilted her head then, a curious look on her face. "That's not an option for you, is it?"

"What, getting a pardon?" Regina snorted.

"Being free." It was said with compassion. The comment made Regina pause.

"I am free," she protested, just a little too vehemently, even to her own ears. "Vestals are free of all social obligations. We are not controlled by anyone."

"And yet, you've committed the next twenty years of your life to this temple. What if you, I don't know, wanted to get married or something?"

"I'm married to the empire, Swan."

"But what if you fell in love with someone?"

"Fell in love?" Regina scoffed at that. "I learned long ago that love is weakness. Love is for the fools."

"Do you honestly believe that?" Emma turned fully to her.

"Oh, don't tell me you're one of those true love believers, because that is just ridiculous."

"It's not ridiculous!" Emma defended. "Haven't you ever been in love? Like, been willing to die for someone?"

"I thought I was, once," Regina muttered, "a long time ago. And that's how I know love to be a weakness." The last bit was said with finality, letting Emma know that the subject matter was over and done with.

"Well, your loss." Emma raised her hands in surrender. "When does your duty end?" she then inquired, seeing that it was still dark outside.

"Sunrise. You should go before that," Regina said, right away realising how rude it had sounded. "I mean, I wouldn't want anyone getting any unwarranted ideas, seeing us here."

"I understand, don't worry." Emma smiled, and Regina couldn't help turning the corners of her mouth up just a tiny bit. "There's still a little while to go. Do you want me to leave now, or should I stay for a bit longer?"

Again, the choice was Regina's – something she wasn't used to.

"It's still rather dark outside, I'm not sure you could make it back without tripping over that sword of yours." Emma rolled her eyes. "So, I suppose you can stay if you must," Regina stated nonchalantly.

Neither of them commented on the fact that, just in the next room, there was a fire that could kindle a thousand and one torches to light the way.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

It wasn't until a week later that their paths crossed again; although, naturally, Regina had eagerly gone to the games a few days earlier to see Emma fight, achieving victory number thirty – it was impressive, there were no two ways about it. To Regina, it was slightly disconcerting that these random meetings had become such a big part of her life; a Vestal wasn't supposed to concentrate on anything but serving the empire, and yet, here she was, once again waiting anxiously to spend time in the gladiator's company. When she really thought about it, it was wrong and inappropriate on so many levels.

What was also inappropriate was the way Regina found Emma in the bathhouse. At first, thinking that the gladiator was a no-show that day as well, she almost turned around to leave until movement in the pool caught her attention. It took Regina a moment to realise that she was watching the blonde swim in the lukewarm water, and she swallowed nervously when she noticed the pile of clothes on the floor to her left.

"Very classy, Swan", she retorted, trying to hide the feeling of discomfort to the best of her abilities.

Emma's head whipped around and she grinned. "Oh, please." Emma snorted. "After the day I've had, the water feels too good."

Diving one more time, the blonde swam to the edge of the pool and pulled herself up. Regina thought her brain would short-circuit when she watched the perfectly toned body emerge from the pool, drops of water dripping everywhere. Emma was breathtakingly gorgeous, like a statue of Venus, there was no denying that. The Romans openly appreciated physical perfection, and the blonde certainly fell into that category with ease.

Finding the scene before her strangely erotic and sensual, the Vestal felt her heart beat rapidly in her chest. Regina should have turned away, but something kept her rooted to the spot. And then it was too late anyway, because Emma looked up, and their eyes met. Suddenly, the air was crackling with something Regina wasn't able to identify – it was an occurrence that was happening more and more between them, she had noted. Something invisible tended to transpire between them whenever they were this close to each other; there was a frisson of something that was strangely exhilarating.

Forcing herself to finally look away, Regina cleared her throat. "Well, at least you're clean." She concentrated on the beautiful wall murals on the other side of the pool.

"How was your day?" Emma asked, pulling clothes on her wet body.

It was all so weirdly familiar and habitual between them that Regina had to blink a few times to get back to herself.

"Fine, the usual. Got invited to see a play."

"I saw you in the audience again the other day," Emma said and pulled a loose tunic over her head.

"Indeed. As a Vestal, I'm obligated to appear when I can," Regina stated, still keeping her gaze firmly on the wall opposite her.

"Oh, come on, Regina! Give the poor girl something." The blonde raised her hands in a somewhat disgruntled manner.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"Have you never, not even once, come to the games just to see me?" The panic she felt must've shown on her face, because Emma quickly went on: "I mean I fight better when I know you're there. So, I'd like to think that you, maybe, appreciated seeing me fight as well from time to time."

"How can I being in the audience have anything to do with your performance?" Regina asked, sceptical.

"I don't know, I just... I guess it's easier when there's someone in the crowd you know is rooting for you."

"How do you know I'm rooting for you?"

"Aw, thanks."

"You're everyone's favourite. I would say there are quite a few people supporting you." Regina scoffed.

"You know what I mean."

"I suppose." Regina gave in and pursed her lips in contemplation. "And I suppose that...there is some sort of gratification to be had seeing you fight."

"Thank you. I'm glad to hear that." Emma smiled and finished dressing by fastening the sword belt around her hips. "Speaking of fighting, I'll have my next battle the day after tomorrow. Can you make it?" Sitting down, Emma fished the dice out of her pocket again.

"Can't, I'm afraid. There's a ceremony at the temple I need to attend. "

"Ugh. Not fair." The blonde puckered her lips in defiance.

"It's not all fun and games, Swan. I do have my duties." Regina threw the dice, scowling at the ridiculously poor score.

"Can you at least come here, afterwards? If I get injured because my favourite Vestal is not present, I need someone to make it all better." The mischievous grin aimed at her made the brunette shake her head, amused.

"I'm sure there will also be plenty of people willing to take care of you, should that happen." The prospect of someone else "caring" for Emma annoyed Regina greatly, which was just utterly irrational.

"Yeah, but there really is only one person I'd accept for the job," Emma admitted, glancing shyly at the other woman.

Regina's mouth hung open in surprise, a warmth suddenly spreading through her.

She cleared her throat. "Well then, you'd better not hurt yourself, since that day is rather impossible for me."

This thing, this... _whatever_ was between them was just wrong and in so many ways. But, no matter how much Regina tried denying it, the company of the blonde made her feel better than she remembered feeling in a long time. She wasn't used to someone simply wanting to be around her, wanting to talk to her. The fact that Emma apparently saw them as equals probably should have been an insult to her, but Regina found that she didn't particularly care. Most of the time, people feared her out of respect, or revered her for her status and reputation, but none of them were particularly interested in knowing what she was really like – apart from, evidently, Emma.

"I think I'm going to ask for that pardon sometime soon," Emma mused and interrupted Regina's train of thought.

"Oh?" Regina absentmindedly picked up the dice again. "How many wins do you think it would take?"

"Hard to say." The blonde made a face at Regina's good score. "Celadus had only twenty when he was freed last year. I'm already way ahead."

"You've certainly deserved it," Regina noted, nodding. She refused to think what Emma's freedom would actually mean to her. No more games of dice, that's for sure.

"Definitely." Emma threw the dice. "Oh, come on!" Regina grinned, winning the round by a mile.

"You know, I have to stay up that night after your battle."

"Yeah? Can I come and see you again?"

"I suppose, if you can't find anyone else to bother," Regina said casually.

"Seriously? You might just be the most irritating person I've ever met, Regina."

"No one's forcing you be here," the Vestal responded flatly, just a tiny bit provoked by the comment.

Emma leaned forward, her eyes sparkling and her tone playful: "I never said it was a bad thing." Leaning back again, she picked up the cubes. "Keeps things interesting, that's for sure."

"Whatever," Regina muttered, not feeling nearly as offended as she probably should. At seeing Emma's playful grin, she pushed the blonde gently at the shoulder and grunted: "Just throw the dice."

Emma's laughter echoed in the small space.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"Forgive what I said in anger! I will yield to the decree, and only beg one favour, that my children may stay. They shall take to the princess a costly robe and a golden crown, and pray for her protection," the actor channelling Medea said poignantly on stage, dramatically interpreting the words of Euripides. Both encouragements and objections were shouted from many directions of the packed amphitheatre as the protagonist pondered her next course of action.

Regina, however, didn't really pay attention to what was being said. She felt the emperor move in his seat next to her, and soon he whispered: "Revenge is never that simple." He was referring to the play in which Medea had just decided to kill her own children in order to exact revenge upon her husband.

"No, I suppose not." Nervously fiddling with the fabric of her palla, Regina tried to concentrate on the scene in front of her, but, at the same time, wondering why exactly she had been invited to see the play in the first place.

"A society such as ours disfavours those without power," Titus continued lackadaisically. "Look at Medea; she is forced to take revenge against her husband simply because he is the one with the power and control. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I really wouldn't know, your Highness."

"No need to be coy with me, Priestess." He quickly glanced at her. "Are you able to comprehend where she is coming from?"

Swallowing, Regina folded her hands in her lap. "Yes. Yes, I do. But while she should be able to reclaim her power, she ultimately fails; her attitude is what, in the end, turns the audience against her."

"Very good." Titus gave an impressed smile. He turned his attention back to the play again, but still addressed Regina: "All this reminded me, of course, of our little agreement. Do you have anything to report?" While still using hushed tones, Titus' voice had a hardness to it which indicated that she should think carefully before replying.

It was the moment Regina had dreaded since the moment her mother had planted the seed in her consciousness, a growing awareness that she might actually be up to something as dreadful as conspiring against the emperor. Reminding herself of the prestigious office she held, she understood that there truly was only road she could take.

Another actor had taken the stage, describing events that had taken place offstage: "A devouring poison consumed her limbs and as with fire, and in his endeavour to save his daughter the old father died too."

"The Greeks certainly knew their tragedies," Titus mused, pursing his lips.

"My mother, she is scheming something, but I don't know what." Never before had Regina betrayed her mother. Not once in her life had she dared to defy her, which is why she now felt bile rise to her mouth. Squeezing her hands into tight fists, she willed the nausea to disappear.

"Is that so?" The emperor looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Thank you for informing me."

"Your Eminence," Regina replied, her voice sounding much stronger than what she actually felt.

"I will remember your cooperation, Priestess. You will be rewarded once the entire plot has been revealed and the culprits apprehended."

"I only want you to know that my loyalties lie with the empire. The stability of Rome is my first concern as a Vestal," Regina said, her eyes downcast.

"Good." Titus said. "Just remember that in the future, in case the line between parental loyalty and treason becomes blurred again." His voice held a hint of a threat, apprising Regina that he was well aware of her stalling tactics with the present information.

On the stage, Medea miraculously escaped her crimes, Helio's sun chariot swooping down from the sky and taking her with him. _Deus Ex Machina_. Taking a shaky breath, Regina anxiously mused that as the walls were slowly but surely closing in on her, a magical intervention was beginning to seem like the only way out.

_I'm trapped._

With trembling fingers, Regina brushed a strand of hair behind her ear and listened to the final verses of the play, the words filling her with an awful sense of portentousness:

"Manifold are the shapings, Providence!

Many a hopeless matter gods arrange.

What we expected never came to pass,

What we did not expect the gods brought to bear;

So have things gone, this whole experience thought!"


	6. Six

**CHAPTER 6**

The following two nights after the play, Regina hadn't been able to sleep a wink. Feeling slightly agitated, she made her way across the central foyer of the House of Vestals as it was her turn once more to stand guard during the night and make sure the fire continued securing the fortune of Rome. Falling asleep while guarding the fire was harshly punished, even by death if the Vestal's slip caused the fire to die out – the protection of the goddess Vesta was absolutely essential to the city and the entire empire.

Her own betrayal hung heavily in Regina's mind, tying her stomach in nervous knots as she wondered how her mother would retaliate. Because Cora most certainly would do just that if the word of Regina's disloyalty ever reached her ears.

"Regina!" Kathryn's voice pierced through her ominous thoughts. She glanced up and saw the other Vestal walking rapidly towards her. "Are you all right? I called for you several times."

"I'm fine," Regina answered curtly, willing herself not to snap at her friend simply because she was stressed beyond belief.

"Are you sure?" At Regina's icy look, Kathryn raised her hands in a calming manner. "I was just worried, since you've been pretty quiet lately. Well, quieter than usual. Did something happen at the play?"

"Would you please just mind your own business!" Regina snarled and regretted it instantly as Kathryn's face fell. She only meant well, Regina knew that, but if there was something she didn't do, it was talk about her feelings, to _anyone_. "I'm...sorry."

"If there's anything I can do..." Kathryn shrugged helplessly.

"No, it's fine. I just haven't slept properly, that's all." Pinching the bridge of her nose, Regina hoped the other woman would just leave it.

"Okay." Oh, praise the gods. "I'll see you in the morning then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Regina watched as Kathryn walked across the courtyard towards her personal quarters, letting out a sigh of frustration once the other Vestal was out of sight.

The following hour went by rapidly as she did all the required Vestal duties at the temple, in preparation for the night to come. She had just finished putting away the mola salsa, wondering how on earth she was going to make it through the night awake, when she heard a whisper behind her.

"Permission to approach, your Vestal Highness." Despite herself, Regina couldn't help smiling. She quickly banished such expressions of amusement, however, before turning around and facing Emma.

"Swan." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ready to disrupt my peace again?"

"Excuse me, but apart from that first time at the bathhouse, I haven't exactly heard you complain."

"Whatever." Regina rolled her eyes. "I take it you didn't lose today?" Never mind that she had inquired for the result of the battle the moment Kathryn had returned from the games.

"Nope." Taking off the cloak she was wearing, Emma produced two peaches from its folds and took a seat at the marble steps. She raised her eyebrows questioningly and offered the other to the Vestal.

"What in the name of Juno makes you think I want to eat a peach that you've probably carried with you since last week?" Regina stood rooted to the spot, eyeing the fruit in question with displeasure.

"Woah, ease up, your Bitchiness. I was just trying to be polite." Setting the other peach on the step next to her, Emma eagerly bit down into her own. Regina's shoulders sagged and she sighed tiredly.

"It's just... I haven't slept properly the past two nights. I'm grumpy and worried that I'll fall asleep during the night and endanger the entire empire," she explained gingerly, sitting heavily on the altar steps. From the corner of her eye, she eyed the fruit placed next to her and, swallowing her pride, finally surrendered and reached for it. She decided to ignore the satisfied smirk on Emma's face.

"Well then, it seems my services are needed again. I'm to keep you company and help you remain alert." Taking another huge bite, Emma smiled and crossed her ankles, taking a more comfortable position.

"Are you questioning my professionalism?"

"I wouldn't dare."

Pursing her lips, Regina let it be, secretly pleased that the gladiator was, once again, willing to be of assistance. Taking a small bite, she found the fruit perfectly ripe and delicious.

"So," Emma began. "Tell me, how exactly did you end up here?"

"Could you maybe be a little more specific?"

"Gods, you're a maddening woman!" Emma groaned, but eventually specified: "How did you become a Vestal?"

"Oh." Regina mulled over the question for a while. "Well, I replaced a Vestal who had died. What else is there to know?"

"You're avoiding answering again," Emma noted. "The process was different, wasn't it? I heard someone say that you're the only one who wasn't chosen as a child."

"That's right." Avoidance seemed to be her best friend when it came to dealing with the woman sitting next to her.

"What happened?" The earnestness in Emma's voice made Regina falter unexpectedly.

Emma had the uncanny ability to ask just the right—or _wrong_ —questions, bringing about feelings in Regina that she thought had long been buried somewhere deep in her mind.

"Well, what do you think happened?" the Vestal suddenly exclaimed. "I was married, we couldn't have children. He left me, and my mother somehow managed to scheme me in here before his side of the bed was even cool."

"Wow."

"What?"

"You were married?"

"That's what you got from that?" Regina rolled her eyes.

"Well, I'm sorry, but you're kind of a lonesome bitch. It's difficult to imagine you being married to someone."

"Excuse me?" she asked incredulously.

"Come on, you know it." The blonde shrugged and threw away the stone of the peach. "Besides, I thought they only accepted girls who are still children to be Vestals."

"Usually, yes; they make an exception when a Vestal dies unexpectedly," Regina found herself explaining. "The others were chosen as children."

"Is that difficult? Being the only one with a past outside of this place?"

"Sometimes," Regina replied in a non-committed manner. "Don't _you_ have a husband waiting for you at home?"

Emma actually laughed out loud then. "Definitely not." At Regina's confused look, she continued: "My parents tried to wed me to someone once, but I refused."

"Refused? Just like that?"

"Yes, just like that."

"I find that hard to believe. Our ways can't be _that_ far off yours."

"Well, my position in our tribe might have something to do with it," Emma stated nonchalantly, making Regina frown.

"Meaning?"

"Meaning that my parents might, perhaps, be the leaders of our tribe. Which makes me a probable leader after them." Emma leaned closer. "And that's why my opinion on the issue matters."

"Well, who would've thought? Our barbarian is royalty," Regina teased, but there was no malice in her voice.

"Hardly," Emma guffawed. "Have you seen me? My parents probably had different ideas of how I would grow up, only I've always been more interested in sword fighting and hunting than in being a leader. But, since I'm an only child, I think they wanted to make sure I was happy."

"At least you had a choice," Regina said emotionlessly, biting off the last bit of flesh the peach had to offer.

"How do you mean?"

"My mother has always decided everything for me. I think Leopold leaving me was the only thing regarding my life that she hadn't carefully calculated in her head." Her voice sounded much more level than how she felt. "She couldn't take the shame of having a daughter whose husband had walked out on her, so she made a deal with Gold who arranged for me to be picked as a Vestal. I don't even want to know what she had to do to have Gold help her."

"You didn't want to be picked?"

"Oh, I did. At first I figured it was the best thing that had ever happened to me. I thought I was finally free of my mother, since Vestals are not subjected to the authority of their parents. But, of course, I am just as tightly bound to her as before." Picking invisible lint on her stola, Regina refused to look at the other woman. She had never revealed this much about herself to anyone before, and she still wasn't quite certain why she was doing so now. "I should have known it sounded too good to be true."

Regina felt a hand cover hers in her lap and slowly raised her head to see sympathetic eyes looking at her. Uncomfortable with the expression of emotion, Regina shrugged in embarrassment, but wasn't quite able to pull her hand free from the other woman's grasp. The skin of Emma's palm was callused but warm, and suddenly, Regina felt the same tingling sensation as all those months ago, when Emma had caught her as she fell from the carriage. Clearing her throat, she squeezed Emma's hand once and then pulled hers free.

"Remember when you asked about my happiest childhood memory?" Regina asked after a moment of silence.

"Yeah," Emma said softly.

"When I was seven, my father took me riding to the countryside. He had business to attend outside the city and he wanted to take me with him, much to my mother's dismay. He usually never went against my mother's will, but for some reason that day, he didn't listen." The feeling of nostalgia made her smile. "We rode all day, and then ate apples under an enormous apple tree. He laughed; I don't think I had ever heard him laugh before that. It was the only time I got to go with him, my mother made sure of that. But that single day? I don't think I've been as happy since."

She half expected Emma to pity her, to say she was sorry for the way her mother had controlled her every waking hour since childhood. But, instead, the gladiator leaned closer, her eyes genuinely curious.

"Tell me about your father."

And Regina did. She happily told Emma stories about the one person who had ever loved her. The blonde smiled widely at Regina's funny anecdotes about a man who was the only parent she had truly ever had. Regina was so wrapped up in the storytelling that it wasn't until she heard a rooster crowing somewhere in the distance that the passing of time registered with her.

"That's probably a signal for me to go," Emma chuckled, but she didn't have time to even get to her feet before there was movement at the door and Kathryn walked in.

"Regina, I figured I'd relieve you from your duty so that you could get some sle-," Kathryn began but came to a sudden halt when she realised that Regina wasn't alone. "What are you doing?" she finally asked, taking in the scene in front of her.

"Nothing. She has simply been keeping me company, so that I wouldn't fall asleep." There was a nervous flutter at the pit of Regina's stomach, much in the same way as when her mother had caught her with a stable boy once when she was fourteen. And, this time, she hadn't even done anything.

"But she's-, she's a..." Emma smiled, amused at Kathryn's obvious discomfort.

"A barbarian?" The gladiator filled in politely, and Kathryn blanched.

"She was just leaving," Regina stated, turning fully to Emma. "Weren't you?" It was said poignantly.

With a little bow, Emma collected her cloak and swung it around her shoulders. With one final smile aimed at Regina, she was gone, and an uncomfortable silence fell between the two Vestals.

It was Regina who finally broke it. "Nothing happened." It was a ridiculous thing to say, making her look even guiltier of something she hadn't done in the first place.

"She's a gladiator. She's nothing but a slave!" Kathryn said, lowering her voice so that it didn't carry further than the room they were standing in.

"Not that I need to explain myself to you, but all we did was talk." Regina said angrily, her eyes blazing.

"It doesn't matter what you did with her, you're a Vestal. If someone finds out that you've been spending time with a slave, of all people, rumours are going to start spreading." Kathryn shook her head in exasperation. "Once that happens, you know there is no turning back."

"She isn't so bad." _For Jupiter's sake, I'm defending her_. She mentally groaned.

"Gods!" Kathryn gasped suddenly. "You're sweet on her."

"That's preposterous," Regina defended, taking a threatening step towards the blonde.

"Is the necklace hers?" Kathryn suddenly asked.

"Excuse me?"

"The pendant you keep in the inside pocket of your stola, the one you always take out when Emma's competing. Is it hers?"

Regina's tone was biting when she finally spoke: "Like I told you yesterday, mind your own business."

"Look, Regina, I don't care who you do or don't have feelings for. I only care about what happens if the wrong people find out." Tentatively reaching out and putting her hand on Regina's upper arm, she continued: "Just...be careful."

Regina flinched at the contact and slowly pulled away. Biting the inside of her cheek, she contemplated spitting out a few insults and storming out of the room, but she knew Kathryn didn't deserve that. So, instead, she minutely nodded and then brushed past the other Vestal, leaving her standing in the middle of the temple.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The final day of the 90-day celebrations honouring the extraordinary new amphitheatre marked the thirty-fifth time Emma had walked out to the arena and fought for her life. The previous thirty-four times she had triumphed and won without suffering serious injuries, and all those thirty-four times the spectators had erupted in vigorous cheering after witnessing the undeniable talent before them. The days when Emma was battling had become the most popular ones of the games, and people from as far as Naples were making a journey to Rome, simply to see her fight. No one was willing to bet against Emma, and the curse tablets going around in the audience all willed bad luck to befall on her opponents.

Once again, the arena was packed, all expecting to see another incredible fight between Emma and her opponent of the day. Taking her usual place in the box reserved for the Vestals, Regina tried to ignore the irrational feeling that some people around her were looking at her. As a Vestal, she was used to admiring stares and openly gaping people, but this was different. When she caught one of the members of the Senate looking at her and then rapidly turning his eyes away and whispering something in the ear of the Senator next to him, she was certain something was going on.

As the final day of the games began, Regina gradually let go of the uneasy feeling, thinking that she must have imagined it; the small altercation with Kathryn the week before had simply put her on edge. They hadn't really talked after that, and Regina found that she actually missed having her friend around. It was Kathryn's turn to remain behind and guard the temple, so she wasn't able to talk to her at the games either.

Flipping through the program, Regina noted that Emma's battle was again the last one of the day; it was the one everyone was waiting for, and the emperor wanted to work up the audience's appetite with less important battles first.

When the moment finally arrived, and Augustus—the winner of the battle before Emma's—strode off the field, the atmosphere in the amphitheatre noticeably changed. A constant chanting of, "Emma! Emma! Emma!" filled the air, and Regina reached for the necklace again, clasping it tightly in her hand. She could have sworn her heart nearly skipped a beat when she spotted the blond-haired gladiator climbing the ramp up to the arena. Emma was followed by Gallius who only had a piece of armour around his shoulder and upper arm for protection. He was carrying a trident and a net, and Regina could see a dagger attached to the belt at his waist.

"Morituri te salutant!" was once again yelled to the emperor who gave a tiny nod, allowing the gladiators to take their starting positions. As Emma was turning away from Titus, her head remained turned to the Vestal box a little longer than necessary, and Regina knew it was Emma's way of saluting her. Schooling her face to give absolutely nothing away, she revelled in the warm feeling the gladiator's gesture had wrought in her.

As usual, the battle moved forward at Emma's command. While Gallius was definitely adroit and dexterous, his opponent was simply a better tactician; carefully calculating his movements in her head, Emma was able to block his advances with ease and make several counterattacks, many of which resulted in small cuts in Gallius' skin. The spectators gasped in excitement when Emma suddenly spun around with such grace that Gallius had no chance in seeing it coming. After a hard blow to his back, he grimaced with pain, but remained standing. He was bleeding heavily, and after an unsuccessful attack with his trident, Emma smoothly kicked it to the side and stepped on it. She kicked the trident out of his hands, and as he momentarily lost his balance, Emma easily tripped him over, bending his arm behind his back. Snatching the dagger from his waist, Gallius tried, one last time, to get the upper hand, but Emma calmly grabbed the weapon with her free hand, bringing it up to his throat and sliding it open. Gallius dropped, face first and completely still, to the ground.

The audience was elated, and the bellowing was deafening; Emma had offered them precisely what they had come there to see in the first place. Unable to completely keep up the facade, Regina smiled softly as the winning gladiator made her way towards the emperor and Regina's side of the arena, waving at the people shouting and clapping at the stands.

Dropping on one knee before the emperor's private box, she pulled the helmet off her head and spoke: "Permission to speak, your Excellence."

"Permission granted." Titus leaned forward, curious.

"As you may be aware, your Highness, this is my thirty-fifth victory." The crowd cheered and whistled at that. "I would like to think that I have proven my skills as a fighter and entertained your Excellence to the best of my abilities."

"That you most certainly have done, Gladiator." Titus nodded, obviously satisfied with how Emma had significantly improved the games.

"It is for that reason that I now humbly request a pardon, your Excellence." There was an audible gasp as the magnitude of Emma's request registered with the audience. While pardoning highly successful gladiators was common practice, it was still rare for a fighter to actually ask for it. People were whispering and muttering, some were shouting encouragements for and against such an act of kindness. Regina held her breath, understanding that what Emma had worked so hard for was nearly in her grasp. The emperor slowly rose to his feet, regarding the blonde who was still kneeling in front of him.

"While I recognise the incredible talent you have entertained us with during these games, I still think you have plenty more to offer us." There was a pregnant pause. "Therefore, I deny you your request for a pardon at this time."

Regina clasped the pendant in her hand so tight that it probably left a mark on her palm. She watched as Emma swallowed hard and got to her feet, bowing curtly to the emperor before spinning around and crossing the arena towards the entrance she had come from. Of course Titus wouldn't let such a public treasure get away; not to mention that Gold would definitely disapprove if Titus freed something so precious that he owned. Titus was well aware of Gold's power, and it was a battle he wasn't prepared to fight just yet. People had begun cheering again, knowing that they would once again see their favourite gladiator fight in the future. Emma didn't acknowledge the clamour. She quickly disappeared into the dark hallway without a glance at the arena behind her.


	7. Seven

**CHAPTER 7**

Regina didn't go to the bathhouse that evening; although, she'd originally thought she would. In fact, she had been already heading out, her hand grasping the door knob, when it hit her that she had no idea what she could say to the gladiator. They hadn't seen each other since Regina's last night duty at the temple, and while her instincts told her to go and, at least, find out if Emma was all right, it was still easier to simply ignore the somewhat baffling feeling of concern and remain hidden within the four walls of her room. She wasn't used to caring about someone; even Kathryn was more of a good acquaintance than a true friend who she ought to worry about.

Feeling strangely off-kilter, Regina opened the door, but almost immediately slammed it closed again, a little too forcefully. She heard Ruby's muffled voice as the younger woman was just walking past her room: "Gods, Regina! Calm down."

"What's happening to me?" Regina whispered out loud as she sat down on the edge of the bed and combed her hands through her hair exasperatedly. Yes, it would be best if she didn't see Emma at all before her own thoughts were untangled.

Staying true to her word (Regina was nothing if not perseverant once she decided something), a week went by without a single game of dice between the two women.

One day, Regina had just returned from the sacred spring with a vessel filled to the brim with its precious water when Kathryn hesitantly approached her.

"Would you... Would you like to go to the games with me later today?" It was mediation for their infamous quarrel at the temple, Regina knew. She kept pouring the water into an amphora, stubbornly clinging to her annoyance towards the other woman and remaining silent.

When Regina didn't answer, Kathryn continued: "I don't know if you've seen Emma since, but...she's battling today."

The now empty vessel clanged unpleasantly against the table as Regina finally whirled around. "Didn't you just tell me to stay away from her a few weeks ago?" she asked incredulously.

"I was only thinking what's best for you, you know that," Kathryn defended, and, as much as it cost her to admit it, Regina knew she was telling the truth. "So, please, would you go to the games with me?"

"I don't know," Regina sighed, trying not to consider the alluring fact that she would actually get to see Emma if she relented.

"Please," Kathryn pleaded. "There's only so much gushing over Emma I can take from Ruby." Regina ignored the obvious pang of jealousy that Kathryn's comment caused.

"Fine." Regina conceded finally, causing Kathryn to smile widely. "But I don't want to talk about anything related to her."

"That's fine. So, I'll see you after I get back from Marcus Valerius? He only wishes to hand over his will for us to store in the temple, so it shouldn't take long."

"Sounds good." Regina nodded, secretly satisfied at the tentative reconciliation.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The fight, that afternoon, was not what they had expected at all. There was something in the way Emma carried herself this time around that caught Regina's attention the moment the blonde stepped on the sand. There was a ferociousness to her movements that Regina had never witnessed before, and the Vestal involuntarily flinched when Emma delivered a particularly forceful blow – seemingly without caring about covering her bases for a possible counterattack.

Before, Emma's fighting had been graceful and smooth, her obvious talent with a sword coming forward. Now, there was no proper coordination; she just didn't think before attacking. The obvious rage practically oozed from her, and she took it out on her opponent who didn't stand a chance against the irate blonde.

A forceful blow sent the other fighter face first to the ground, and before he had a chance to get up on his feet again, Emma was hovering over him, punching him hard, over and over again. He was gone long before Emma stopped, and when she finally did, panting heavily, her hands and armour were covered in blood. Stepping away from the body sprawled on the sand, she grabbed the sword she had let go of earlier, but, unlike all those times before, didn't even bother raising the weapon as a sign for victory. The crowd was perplexed, since the fight had lacked all the special components that made Emma's battles so popular; they cheered wildly anyway, because she was still their favourite and one of the most victorious gladiators they had ever seen.

Regina watched, troubled, as the blonde exited the arena, the usual lightness in her step utterly lacking.

"What was that?" she heard Kathryn ask, but couldn't find the words to reply.

What they had seen was a gladiator who had nothing to live for anymore, but who wasn't quite ready to die yet either.

And that was why, after a rather long absence, Regina found herself at the bathhouse that evening. She still didn't know what she could say to Emma if the blonde happened to be there, but, somehow, she couldn't really stay away either. Gingerly, the Vestal slipped inside the building and immediately spotted the gladiator at her usual spot, an amphora of wine next to her.

"A private party?" Regina asked, slowly making her way towards the pool. Emma was unmistakably startled by the voice behind her, and she turned to look at Regina with eyes that were bloodshot and unnaturally clear from too much wine.

"What are you doing here?" Emma's tone was flat, uninterested.

"Would you care to explain what the heck it was that I witnessed earlier?" Regina asked disapprovingly and sat down on the edge, her feet submerged in the warm water.

"Winning. Isn't that what you people want to see?" Emma took another swig from the amphora.

"Today was the first time I truly saw a savage," Regina stated, eyeing the clearly drunk woman in disgust.

"Well, congratulations, Regina. I guess you were right all along!"

"You're pathetic."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Regina challenged. "What I witnessed at the arena today was pathetic and barbaric."

"Does it really matter how I get rid of my opponent? The outcome is always the same."

"Using brute force proves nothing. Just makes you look like an uncivilised animal."

"Well, too bad for me then."

"Just because the emperor refused the pardon doesn't-,"

"Oh, please! He can shove the pardon up his backside."

"That's a really mature attitude," Regina said sarcastically. "But what else would I expect from someone like you?"

"You mean from an undefeated fighter who everyone adores?" Emma said, but then added mockingly: "Well, apart from _you_ , of course."

"You're pitiful," Regina spat out, utterly fed up with the way the other woman was acting, completely ambivalent about everything.

"For fuck's sake, I didn't come here to be insulted! I came here to drink and to be alone, but I guess that's too much to ask from your Highness." Emma got on her feet, only swaying a little.

"That's right, run from your problems," Regina taunted, watching as Emma emptied the amphora with a single gulp and dropped it on the floor. The brunette got up on her feet as well and looked at the blonde with disgust.

"Actually," Emma began, leaning forward and looking right at Regina. "I'm going to get laid."

Regina scowled at the crude expression. "Because _that_ will solve absolutely everything."

"Care to find out?" A wink that, had Emma been sober, Regina could have actually considered cute, now only aggravated the Vestal more. Her nostrils flared in annoyance.

As Regina remained silent, Emma continued: "You know what they say about gladiators, don't you?" She was slurring only a little. "Our virtues, they extend well beyond the arena." She took a few steps forward, purposefully invading Regina's personal space and bringing their faces mere inches apart from each other. "As lovers, well, we are said to be ravenous beasts." Emma hammered home her point by raising her hand and sliding a finger slowly along Regina's jaw and then down her neck.

Regina swallowed hard, an involuntary shiver going down her spine. She could feel the warmth radiating from the other woman, the gladiator's breath caressing her lips, and, for a fraction of a second, Regina was sure she was actually going to lean in and taste the wine on the blonde's lips. But then her brain caught up with the rest of her, and with a forceful push Regina thrust the gladiator back a few paces and slapped her hard across the face.

"You disgust me right now," she ground out and brushed past the blonde, not looking back even when she heard what she assumed was the amphora hit the wall and probably shatter into hundreds of pieces.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Regina hadn't been so enraged in a long time. The scene in the bathhouse had been playing on loop in her mind for nearly a week straight, and with every repeat, she became more and more annoyed. The rational part of her understood what had brought on the gladiator's behaviour, but it didn't mean she should ever forgive her for it. And if Regina solely concentrated on hating Emma, she didn't have to acknowledge the clear signs of arousal she had felt when Emma had stepped into her personal space and practically offered her services to her. Regina had been within moments of planting her lips on the blonde's, which definitely would have been considered crossing that fine line between 'somewhat dubious behaviour' and 'treason'.

No, it was Emma who had been utterly inappropriate in her conduct; no one was allowed to talk to a Vestal in such a manner. If the emperor found out, he would have her executed on the spot.

It didn't help that the current day had been a complete disaster anyway; there was no other way to describe it. Regina should've known things would not work out after she had gotten out of bed that morning and promptly dropped one of her rings through a small crack on the floor. At midday, she had performed a sacrifice in honour of goddess Vesta at a local marketplace, and, somehow, the knife she had used for slaughtering the sacrificial lamb had slipped. Never mind that such a mistake was bad luck anyway, but there was now an ugly, red stain of sheep blood on her white stola, a stain she was vehemently trying to scrub away with her fingers. It only made it worse, however.

Frustrated, she squeezed her hands into fists and counted to ten. Lately, she had been getting increasingly sloppy. Her thoughts were a mess, and the inability to concentrate properly was starting to affect her duties, which was unacceptable.

"Regina?"

Regina spun around and came face to face with the Chief Vestal.

"Do you have a moment?" Granny asked, her tone stern. Her eyes dropped to the front of Regina's stola and the glaring, red stain.

"Yes, of course." Regina self-consciously pulled the mantle more tightly around herself. She had an ominous feeling about the upcoming talk.

"I'm going to be frank with you, Priestess," Granny began, and Regina felt her heart drop. "While I am fully prepared to defend my girls against every unjustified slander and unfounded criticism, I will not allow any sort of inappropriate conduct within the walls of my temple."

"I understand." Regina nodded, not entirely sure where the older woman was coming from.

"You can imagine my surprise when I was at the Senate earlier and heard the most ridiculous rumour about one of the high priestesses of the empire."

"About me?" Regina asked incredulously.

"Indeed." Granny eyed her passively. "So, I am going to ask you this once, and whatever you tell me, I will believe and will stand by you. But if it later turns out that you lied, I will have no trouble throwing you to the dogs. Is that understood?"

"Yes," Regina said quietly.

Granny nodded, satisfied. "So, is there anything at all I should be aware of? And do think carefully before you answer."

Regina found herself standing up taller, her head held high. "No." She shook her head minutely. "There's nothing."

Granny studied the other woman for a moment, as if trying to assess the truth in her words. Finally, she sighed. "Very well."

Regina bowed her head, and The Chief Vestal turned on her heels and left the younger priestess alone with her thoughts. Regina truly hadn't done anything that could be considered a breach of her Vestal oath, but a small part of her felt like she had just outright lied to the highest Priestess in all the empire. Cold sweat appeared on her forehead as she attempted to figure out what exactly had happened to her life.

Outside the temple, Regina was still privately panicking when a messenger approached her. With a smile, he handed her a small curse tablet, the kind they used at the games, and walked away. At first, Regina assumed that someone had wanted to send her an anonymous hate letter for the butchered—no pun intended—sacrificial ceremony earlier. But as she read the two words, scribbled nearly illegibly on the surface of the tablet, she immediately knew who the sender was.

_Me miseret_. I'm sorry.

Regina inspected the pathetic chicken scratches before her and, despite everything, felt a warm feeling spread through her. When she thought about it, she wasn't entirely sure if anyone had ever actually apologised to her for their wrongdoings. That is why she begrudgingly found Emma's gesture rather heart-warming. The blonde's penmanship was terrible, though, and Regina realised that, of course, Emma likely didn't know how to write at all.

Cradling the tablet in her hands, Regina decided that the gladiator really should apologise to her in person, which was why, completely disregarding the earlier meeting with Granny, she headed to the bathhouse later that evening after a nearly week-long break. There was no other reason. Absolutely none.

As Regina had expected, Emma was sitting at the edge of the pool again, waiting. As she spotted Regina walking towards her, she smiled meekly.

"Don't worry, I'm sober this time," Emma began.

"Care to explain this?" Regina tossed the tablet on the ground between them. She crossed her arms above her chest and raised her eyebrows questioningly. The all-consuming rage she had felt for the past week still loomed in her mind.

"Oh, gods, there weren't any swear words in there, were there?" At Regina's perplexed look, Emma went on: "A friend of mine, he helped me with the writing. I mean, I can't write, obviously, and, oh gods, if he made me write profanities in it, I'll kill him," she rambled, clearly upset that she might have unknowingly aggravated the other woman further by scribbling something unacceptable on the tablet.

"There were no profanities." Regina let the blonde out of her misery. She slowly walked to the side of the pool, but remained standing, watching the flames of the torches reflect off the water's surface.

"Oh, good." Emma visibly relaxed. "Good. What I wanted...what I _hope_ it said was that I'm sorry. And I want you to know that you were right."

"Oh?" Regina replied, still refusing to fully acknowledge the blonde.

"Yes. Your...your slap was quite a wakeup call. I needed that. I was...pathetic and barbaric that day."

"Indeed."

"Come on, Regina. Look at me," Emma said exasperatedly, splashing the water in frustration.

With her head held high, Regina finally turned and looked at the gladiator with an impassive face. "What do you want, Swan?"

"To apologise, for how I acted, and for you to forgive me. It seems like I'm always apologising to you, but...I genuinely mean it."

Regina narrowed her eyes. "What makes you think I will ever forgive you for talking to me so offensively and acting the way you did?"

"Because I would hate to never see you again, knowing that I didn't have your forgiveness," Emma said fervently.

"What?" Regina's annoyance at the other woman faltered momentarily.

"I'm going to go, Regina."

"What are you talking about?" Regina frowned, her earlier irritation suddenly forgotten.

"I'm trapped here, Regina. It doesn't matter how I fight, the result will always be the same. If I happen to lose a battle and don't die, there is no way the emperor and Gold would let me go even then. They know what I'm capable of at the arena. Gold would lose an enormous investment, and the emperor, well, he wants to keep the crowds happy. "Emma looked defeated. "Fleeing the city is the only way. Otherwise, I'll go insane."

"When are you leaving?" the Vestal asked, her voice quivering just a little, and she hated herself for it. Regina knew this day would eventually come, when they would be pulled apart one way or another. She just didn't expect it to happen quite so suddenly.

"I don't know yet, probably in a few weeks. I need a plan of some sort; if I just run, they'll catch me before I even reach the city gates. I also need to gather some supplies before I can even entertain the idea of running away."

"Right." Regina nodded placidly, but the feeling of hopelessness in her heart was impossible to ignore.

"I hope I can trust you," Emma continued, looking uncertain. "I understand that the word of a Vestal is valued higher than that of most people, so you now actually have the possibility to squash me like an insect."

"I won't tell anyone," Regina said quietly and truly meant it. She could destroy the other woman completely with the information she had, and only months before, she wouldn't have thought twice about doing just that. But now, Regina noted in wonder, the thought wouldn't have even crossed her mind.

"Thank you."

"Will I... Will I see you before you go?" She tried to sound ambivalent about it, but the slight desperation was transparent in Regina's voice.

"If you want to." Emma's face lit up.

"You know, just to make sure you're really going. Who knows how flimsy you northerners are?" Regina shrugged. "So, I am only going to confirm that you're leaving."

"Wouldn't have it any other way." Emma chuckled. "I'll send a message, when I know the details for certain."

"All right."

A silence fell between them, both eyeing the other uncertainly.

"I'll miss this, you know," Emma finally stated, smiling.

"What's that exactly? You apologising to me? Visiting a random bathhouse in the middle of the night?"

Emma laughed out loud then. "Exactly that; you being, well, you."

"You're strange." Regina snorted, but a pleased blush crept up her cheeks.

"We could play one more game of dice," the blonde suggested, fetching the dice out of her pocket.

Regina pursed her lips. "Well, I suppose it would be rather poetic; those damn things got us into this mess in the first place." She sat down and tried to ignore why she suddenly felt wonderfully placid.

"I have to say, Regina, you hitting me really hurt." Emma shook her head, subconsciously raising a hand to her cheek.

"I'm stronger than I look."

"I certainly can account to that."

Regina won the game easily, and Emma laughed heartily at the pleased look on the Vestal's face.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Thinking about Emma's decision to become a fugitive and to, essentially, flip the finger at Gold and the emperor of the mighty Roman Empire, had Regina on edge for several days afterwards. It's not that she didn't understand why Emma was going to run, she just found it incomprehensible that the blonde was brave—or perhaps stupid—enough to attempt it.

Regina also needed to come to grips with the fact that she apparently cared enough about Emma to feel something akin to sadness when she thought of never seeing the other woman again. If she did see Emma again, it would only be after the blonde's capture, at the arena when she was executed for escaping her duty. And that, she knew, she couldn't dare contemplate. Regina had come accustomed to the company of Emma, and, during the days when they didn't meet, Regina constantly found herself wondering when the next time might be. All of these thoughts distressed her greatly, because caring about someone else made her weak and vulnerable. And if there was something Regina didn't do, it was feeling weak or vulnerable.

Another problem was her work, it was starting to suffer, and that was something people would notice sooner or later.

Regina was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she didn't even see it at first. The small note folded neatly and placed upon her pillow. Confused, she stared at it, an ominous feeling seeping into her consciousness with every passing moment. She noticed, annoyed, that her fingers trembled as she reached for the piece of papyrus and carefully picked it up. She glanced around her, as if the culprit would still be in the vicinity, and hurriedly closed the latch of the window, just in case.

The note, as she unfolded it, only held one word. _Ludia_. Whore.

Her breath got stuck in her throat, the note falling to the floor, and she had to swallow several times in order to get her breathing under control again. The trembling of her fingers increased as she bent over to scoop up the piece of paper, reading it several times to make sure she hadn't misread it the first time. Bold, black letters stared back at her, mockingly, making an accusation of something she wasn't even guilty of – at least in theory.

As the panic finally subsided, Regina sprang into action, stepping out of her room and half running to Kathryn's door. Not even bothering to knock, she frantically barged right in. Kathryn was sitting at the vanity, brushing her golden locks, her eyes widening as she saw Regina's furious gaze reflected in the mirror.

"Regina?" Kathryn frowned.

Regina closed the door firmly behind her before speaking. "Did you write this?" She held up the note.

"Write what?" The blonde turned to look at her in confusion.

" _This_." She took a few steps forward and thrust the piece of paper towards the other Vestal.

Kathryn pressed a hand against her mouth in shock when she saw the word written on it. Eyes wide, she looked up at Regina. "Why would I have written something so awful?"

Regina lowered her voice. "Because you are the only one who knows that I've been talking to you-know-who!"

"Regina, I would never do something like this," Kathryn defended herself, standing up. "You might not consider me as your friend, but you are mine. And I would never do something like this to a friend."

Regina saw the sincerity in the other Vestal's eyes, her anger gradually evaporating. Her shoulders sagged, and she let out a defeated sigh. "I know," she admitted, rubbing her face tiredly.

"Are you sure no one has ever seen you anywhere with her?"

"Yes. Apart from that incident outside the arena all those months ago, all our conversations have been in private."

"Just how many times have you met her?" Kathryn asked warily. The silence from Regina said it all, really. "Regina, you know what will happen if this gets out. It doesn't matter if you've actually done anything or not. It'll look bad, regardless of what way you look at it."

"Yes, I am aware of that!" Regina retorted and began pacing the floor.

"I think your best option is to simply wait it out," Kathryn said. "There's nothing you can do before you know for certain who that note is from."

"This is a disaster," Regina muttered, still walking back and forth. "Why would I throw everything away over someone like her? I don't even like her!"

"Are you sure about that?" Kathryn asked, tilting her head to the side in question.

"You are kidding, aren't you?" Regina came to a halt, peering intently at the blonde. "She's a gladiator! A slave, a goddamn barbarian! She's the last person I would actually _like_." The last bit was spat out in disgust.

"And yet, here we are," Kathryn noted softly. "It wouldn't be the first time it happened to a Roman woman."

"Kathryn." Regina's tone held a warning. "For the last time, there is nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, between that savage and I. I am a Vestal!"

"Okay." Kathryn relented. "But you still need to figure out what to do with this...situation."

"You're right; I need to know who sent the note. I need to wait this out."

"I've said it before, but be careful."

Regina nodded slightly and walked to the door. Just before leaving she turned her head to the side, not quite able to look at the blonde. "I'm...sorry," she mumbled, clearly uncomfortable. "About before, about suspecting you."

"Already forgotten."


	8. Eight

**CHAPTER 8**

The flames illuminated the temple, bathing its white walls in warm, soothing light. Regina stared at the fire, not really seeing it, too occupied by her thoughts. Reaching inside her shawl, she grabbed the piece of parchment that had got her so off kilter and brought it out gingerly. Once more observing the writing in contempt, she traced the letters with her fingers, feeling anger boiling inside of her. She forcefully crumpled the message in a small ball and hurled it into the hearth, watching in satisfaction as it burned to ashes.

Damn the day she had met Emma, damn it all to the underworld!

"Shit." The recent turn of events had completely caught her off guard. She wasn't entirely sure who was responsible for the note, but the more she thought about it, the more her suspicions leaned towards her mother. In that case, it didn't matter that the accusation was simply incorrect—or, that's what she had told herself; it wasn't _entirely_ true anyway—her mother would be able to convince everyone. It didn't matter that the word of a Vestal was trusted without question, because the trepidation over the fate of the empire would overshadow everything else. There was nothing worse than an emotionally compromised Vestal.

"Now, now. I taught you better than to use crude words like that." The voice behind her made Regina tense.

"Mother." Her eyes blazed as she turned to see the older woman standing behind her, a complacent look on her face. "You're not allowed here."

"You must take after that barbarian whose company you seem to keep," Cora continued, completely ignoring Regina's complaint, her eyes fixed on the eternal fire.

_Well, that solves the mystery of the unexpected note._

"Why?" Regina asked, now turning fully to the other woman.

"Why what, darling?" Regina could hear the insincerity in her mother's voice.

"That note, why would you do it? You know it's absolutely preposterous to imply anything improper about my conduct."

"Don't tell me you don't realise how your... _association_ with that savage might look to some people."

Regina winced.

"I haven't done anything." The familiar feeling of inferiority that always manifested itself in her mother's presence came forth once again.

"Some might not see it that way," Cora noted innocently, walking a little closer to the fire. "It would only take a few well-based rumours to destroy your position as a Vestal, dear. We don't want that, do we?" She turned around, piercing Regina with her eyes.

"You would actually destroy me? Your own daughter?" Regina didn't know why exactly she still wanted to cling to the enigma of her mother actually loving her like a parent should, and it hurt all the more to realise that would never be the case.

"I have worked too hard to get where I am today, dear," Cora said, as if it would justify everything. "There are still things to be accomplished, and nothing, and I do mean nothing, will stop me from getting what I want." She walked to Regina and cupped her cheek. "You should know that by now."

"What do you want from me?" Regina asked hollowly and turned away from the touch.

"Simply your cooperation."

"What does that mean?"

"I am well aware that you have revealed my association with Gold to the emperor. As well as the conspiracy we supposedly have against him." Regina blanched at that. "That is exactly what I wanted you to do, dear. Thank you."

"What?" This was all too incredulous.

"I knew you would value the empire more than your own mother." Cora narrowed her eyes dangerously. "And because of that, you're going to do something for me now," Cora informed her, "because I would hate for those rumours to start spreading."

"And what is it that I am I going to do?" Regina was afraid to ask.

"There is someone at the court, close to the emperor, who is the perfect vessel for advancing our plans."

Regina's eyes widened. "You _are_ one of the people plotting against the emperor."

Cora ignored her. "Claudia Flavia, the emperor's niece, I need you to take care of her."

"Take care of her? You want me to kill a child?"

"I need you to give this to her. How you do it is of no importance." Cora handed over a small pouch, and Regina recognised the dried hemlock when she opened it. "The outcome doesn't really matter, whether she lives or dies."

"You must be deranged. I'm a Vestal, mother!"

"Indeed. It is the perfect cover; in addition to the fact that Titus, the fool, trusts you."

"You can't be serious." Regina felt panic rise inside her. "Why would you want me to do that?"

"Targeting someone else will take the attention away from the emperor, dear. Makes him an easier target, you see. Titus is not the right man to lead this magnificent empire; many of us feel that way." Cora walked casually towards the altar, feigning to admire it. "I think it goes without saying that if you do not agree to this, your reputation will be gone by the next full moon. If you decide to be a good girl, I will truly reward you afterwards. You will want for nothing, Regina."

The younger woman shook her head, desperate. "Don't you have Gold taking care of your dirty business for you?"

"He doesn't like getting his hands dirty." Cora waved her hand dismissively and then smiled. "That's why he suggested this instead."

"You and Gold? I'm just a pawn in all this, aren't I?" Regina stated, chuckling humourlessly. She had always known that her mother ruthlessly used her for climbing the intricate social hierarchy of the Roman aristocracy, but for Cora to address it so casually still hurt more than she thought possible.

"You have to understand that life is politics, and those who know how to play the game thrive over those who don't. It's survival, dear, nothing else."

"Then, I guess I don't know how to play it." Regina shook her head. "I'm sorry, mother, but while I, perhaps, could be persuaded to betray the emperor's trust, I could never harm a child."

"The matter is very simple, Regina. The choice is entirely yours; either you do this, or I no longer have any use for you," Cora said with finality. She walked past Regina, halting at her side. "I expect results by the end of the week; otherwise, your little affair will go public."

"Did you ever care about me at all?" The question was the one moment of childish weakness Regina allowed herself.

Cora scoffed. "Love is weakness, Regina," she said over her shoulder and sauntered away regally, leaving Regina to stare after her.

For the longest time, she simply stood in the middle of the temple, the flames of the eternal fire continuing to reach for the skies. Her life, it was at a dead-end, no matter how she spun the situation in her head. Either Cora, or the emperor, would defeat her, no matter what she did.

_Unless..._

Hurrying out of the temple, she spotted Claude, her bodyguard, waiting for her outside. After a quick detour to her room, she gave him directions and handed him a small piece of paper with only one thing drawn on it: a picture of a die.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"A personal message, Regina? It's almost as if you cared," Emma teased and indicated the piece of parchment in her hand as she rounded the corner and walked to the Vestal standing by the bathhouse pool. "I thought it was supposed to be me who sent you one, though."

"Are you still planning on running away?" Straight to the point; there was absolutely no time to be wasted.

"Yes." Emma frowned, somewhat thrown by the urgency and seriousness of Regina's behaviour. "I can't stay here, you know that. I'd rather not live at all."

"You need to take me with you."

"What? Regina, no."

"Don't argue with me, you know that'll never do you any good." She didn't have time for this. "I need to get out of the city, something's happening."

"Seriously, Regina. I-," Emma tried to reason with the other woman but was unceremoniously cut off.

"No! This is non-negotiable."

"I don't care! I can't take you with me."

"You'll take me along, or so help me Jupiter."

"Why? Why's this so important?"

"Because, otherwise, I'll be dead in a fortnight!" Regina yelled, the words bouncing off the tiles and echoing in the room. Emma studied the woman in front of her, clearly seeing the distress in her features. Then she turned her eyes away, taking a deep breath, and as their gazes locked again, Regina recognised the familiar determination in the green eyes.

_A saviour to a fault._

"What do you have in mind?"

"If you have me accompany you, you don't have to hide in order to get past the guards and soldiers in the city. With me there, we can simply walk past them, they wouldn't dare question a Vestal. When we get to the countryside, well, that's where you'll come in. I've never really been outside the city for that long, I wouldn't know what to do, or where to go," Regina hurriedly explained, constantly glancing behind her to make sure they were still alone, because what they were plotting was simply unacceptable.

"Where do you need to go?" Emma crossed her arms in front of her, chewing the inside of her mouth in contemplation.

"Milan. My former husband lives there, he'll help me. All you need to do is get me there, nothing more. After that, you're free to find your way back to the Land of Barbarians." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Fine, let's say that I'll help you. What do I get for my efforts? Milan is a long way from Rome, Regina. And, like you said, you wouldn't know how to survive out there."

"Being your free ticket out of the city isn't enough, Swan?" Regina gritted her teeth. _How dare she start bargaining when my life is on the line?_

"I appreciate that, I do. And I do think, gods forbid, we might actually call each other friends by now." Regina grimaced at that, but didn't correct her. "But it's not enough. I've been in this city long enough to understand your politics and your way of life. And the thing you're about to do, Regina, that is considered treason. You forget that after Milan, I'll still have a heck of a long way to go. I need means, something to ensure I get the equipment and horses that I need, maybe even bribe a person or two, so that I can avoid the inevitable search party they'll send after us."

Emma wasn't being mean. The trip was going to be nearly impossible anyway, no matter how much wealth she had with her.

"Fine. Once we get to Milan, I'll give you this bracelet." Regina stretched out her arm, revealing the thick, golden piece of jewellery around her forearm. "It's pure gold. You can sell it, trade it for supplies, I don't care. It ought to be enough to get you close to home."

Emma eyed the bracelet. Regina knew she was not really pondering whether the offered piece was enough, but if the overall risk was worth taking. Getting beyond the city limits as fast as possible was crucial, however, and Regina would definitely be an asset when it came to avoiding the authorities.

"Emma." The blonde's eyes snapped back up to the brown ones in front of her in shock. Regina had never called her by her real name. Saying Emma's name out loud brought with it an odd sense of familiarity which made Regina's head swim, but she nervously cleared her throat and continued: "You know me well enough by now to realise that what I ask, I get. I never beg, or plead, because conduct like that is simply below me. But I _need_ to get away from here; I have no alternative, so..." Regina briefly closed her eyes, her hands ending up in tight fists by her side. " _Please_."

It was said with great difficulty, and Emma's eyes softened at the obvious effort. "Okay."

Regina sighed. "Thank you."

"What happened?"

"You don't need to know. I just need a way out of the city."

"Actually, I do need to know, Regina. I need to be aware of everything in order to get us out of here."

Regina eyed the woman standing tall in front of her. In her leather armour, a sword attached to her hip, Emma was the epitome of confidence and bravery, and Regina finally admitted to herself that, yes, she absolutely could tell Emma everything. Besides, the woman knew too much about her already anyway – this wouldn't make much difference.

"It's my mother," Regina blurted out, refusing to look at Emma. She knew the other woman was surveying her with an encouraging look in her eyes, and Regina definitely didn't need to see that right now, or she would crumble at the spot. She wasn't used to people caring about her; it had taken her forever to get used to Kathryn's selfless interest in her life. "She wants me out of the picture."

"What? But she's your mother!" Emma exclaimed incredulously, taking an involuntary step towards the Vestal which Regina matched by taking a step back.

"She's not your everyday woman, let's put it that way. She wanted me to do her bidding, and I refused. Now the only option remaining for her is to get rid of me altogether. That's all you need to know."

"How do you know she's going to do that?"

"She pretty much told me herself. As much as it pains me to admit it, I've been at the end of her leash for a long time." Regina laughed humourlessly. "She has allies in high places. She can defame my reputation with a flick of her wrist."

"We must leave soon, then." Emma started pacing, and the brunette could practically hear the gears turning in her head. "I need a few days to gather some supplies. Everything should be in order by Saturday."

"How do I know when the time comes?"

"I'll send a message, something. We can meet here after sundown."

"Okay." Glancing nervously at her hands, Regina felt the need to continue: "I...thank you."

Emma smiled. "You'll be at the amphitheatre tomorrow, right? It's my final battle."

"Wouldn't miss it."

"Great. I'll be looking out for you in your usual spot."

"Good luck," Regina said at Emma's retreating back, causing the blonde to turn around, walking backwards for a few steps.

"I have plenty of that, you should know better than anyone." A grin spread on Emma's face.

Regina attempted to look stern, but the relief she felt dulled the effect quite a bit. Watching Emma slip out of the room, Regina realised that, for the first time in forever, there was light at the end of the tunnel.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

This time around, Regina was certain she wasn't imagining it: a few people were definitely looking at her strangely as she took her seat a few rows behind the emperor. When she caught Gaius Aurelius, a wealthy businessman and one of her mother's formidable friends, openly staring at her with a look of incredulity and disappointment on his face, she realised that he _knew_. Not that there was anything to know per se, but, apparently, her mother had taken a head start in telling _something_ to her closest allies. Her heart beating wildly in her chest, Regina forced herself to look away impassively.

"Are you all right?" Kathryn asked suddenly. "You look a little pale."

"I'm fine," she replied sternly, keeping her eyes on the lions that had just been released in the arena in preparation for the next battle. Kathryn frowned, but let it be, and Regina sighed in relief.

The afternoon progressed in a painfully slow manner as the Vestal waited for the pertinent battle to begin. She felt people stare at her throughout the day, but wasn't going to let them get the best of her. Squeezing her hands in tight fists, she inhaled sharply as a familiar figure finally stepped on the sand, this time, wearing slightly more extensive leather armour. She was soon followed by Augustus, today's opponent. She ignored the curious glance Kathryn aimed at her and concentrated fully on the upcoming battle. Everything was hanging in the balance, and Regina felt nervous butterflies take residence at the pit of her stomach. As had become a habit, Emma glanced at the Vestal section of the audience before moving to the starting position.

As soon as the first moves were made, Regina saw it. Something was off, she realised it immediately. While Emma was still fighting like a champion, with skill and obvious experience, her usual gracefulness was utterly lacking. Regina wasn't certain anyone else even noticed, but during the past months, she'd spent each and every fight with her eyes glued to the blonde gladiator. She was truly familiar with the way Emma moved, how she held her sword and blocked the opponent's advances with her shield. And that's why the slight slowness in Emma's movements made her frown in confusion.

Emma's sword made contact with Augustus' shield, and a loud screeching could be heard. The crowd yelled encouragements, most of them aimed at Emma, and gasped when the blonde was barely able to block Augustus' strike. The confused murmuring only increased about halfway through the battle when Emma suddenly pulled off her helmet, throwing it unceremoniously to the ground. She was obviously sweating profusely, and the frown on Regina's face deepened as she watched the woman struggle to keep up with the other gladiator.

Then, something unheard of happened.

The sudden impact of the knife was obvious, slicing through leather and skin. Regina saw Emma drop her sword and gasp for breath. The blonde's hands found their way to press down on her ruined armour, and Regina felt sick to her stomach when she realised that blood was rapidly seeping through Emma's fingers. Red drops kept falling on the golden yellow sand, creating a grotesque contrast between the colours. But Regina didn't see that. Her ability to think had disappeared the moment she realised that Emma was too badly injured; there was simply too much blood. Vaguely, Regina was aware of Kathryn gripping her hand tightly.

The crowd was in shock. Just as after the first time people had seen the female gladiator fight and win, they were now just as shocked to see her lose. During the grand celebrations of the new arena, she had become a hero, a legend, and, with a single cut of a knife, all the glory was stripped away from her.

Suddenly, Emma looked up. She was staring directly at Regina, their eyes locking even with such a distance between them. Despite the situation, Emma's eyes were calm, confident, like they always were. Involuntarily leaning forward in her seat, Regina kept staring at her...what, _friend_? Somehow that didn't seem applicable anymore.

Without a word being spoken between them, Regina understood what Emma wanted to tell her.

_It's okay._

No, it was not okay, it was far from being okay. Regina felt the tears burn in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Some people were looking at her, gauging her reaction to the events unfolding in front of them, and Regina refused to give them the satisfaction of confirming the rumours apparently milling about. Squeezing Kathryn's hand tight, she kept her eyes on the woman barely still standing in the arena. The brunette's face gave nothing away.

Emma swayed on her feet, and then, all of a sudden, she plopped down on her knees. Regina's heart clenched painfully. Clearly fighting to keep breathing, Emma glanced at Regina one more time and then simply dropped, face down, on the sand. The ground beneath the still figure turned red.

Hoping, against all odds, that this was simply a dream, Regina watched in horror as Augustus sauntered to the blonde and kneeled down next to her, checking her pulse. The entire arena was deadly quiet as they waited in anticipation. The gladiator finally stood up and turned to the emperor, raising his spear in victory.

In a span of a few breaths, Regina felt her entire world crumble.

The Vestal didn't quite know how she finally got out of the arena without losing it, but sometime after seeing Emma's lifeless body being dragged away towards the Gate of the Dead, she found herself walking towards the Temple of Vesta with Kathryn. Apparently, Kathryn had refused the carriage and the bodyguards, which Regina was grateful for, because she needed the fresh air in order to start breathing again. She felt numb, the events of the past hour playing on a loop in her head.

When they reached the House of the Vestals, Regina aimed straight for her quarters. Without saying a word, she practically ran through the foyer and the hallway leading up to her door. Before she was able to open and close it after her, she heard Kathryn's voice calling for her through all the confusion.

"I wish to be left alone now." Regina almost didn't recognise her own voice which was void of all emotion. Numb, just like her soul.

"I know." Kathryn said a little ways away. "But if you're ever ready, I'm here."

Regina barely acknowledged the offer, disappearing into her room and closing the door firmly behind her. Stumbling towards the bed, she lay down on the soft sheets and stared at the wall. She felt a small chain around her neck and pulled a pendant from underneath her clothes; she wasn't quite sure when the necklace had made it from her inside pocket to hang around her neck. Closing her fingers around the small, silver coin, she could feel the image of the swan pressing against her palm.

It was then that Regina felt the walls around her heart come crashing down and she lost the fight against the tears. Burying her face in the pillow, she cried harder than she had ever cried before. She cried for herself, she cried for a future that was bleak and hopeless, and she cried for Emma, because this was not how it had supposed to end.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The next few days went by in a haze that Regina didn't know how to shake. Two days later, she was still not herself. Lying on the bed in the early hours of the morning, she attempted to sort out her thoughts. She was angry, so very angry, but at what exactly, she wasn't entirely sure. She came to the conclusion that she was angry at Emma for being so unbelievably careless, for letting her guard down and paying the ultimate price for it. She was angry at the emperor for refusing the pardon and, effectively, ruining several lives in the process. She was angry at her mother; she was angry at her mother for, essentially, stealing her life away already years previously.

But, most of all, Regina was angry at herself. She was so angry at herself for feeling weak, for letting Emma make her weak. If she had only kept her distance from the other woman, she wouldn't be feeling completely at a loss now. Goddamn Emma, with her grins and arrogance, her blonde hair and games of dice.

The anger she felt inside finally made her push herself up from the bed. She walked to the small vanity in the corner of the room and plopped unceremoniously on the stool in front of it. The sun was barely peeking through the window, but there was enough light that Regina saw her haggard appearance reflected back at her. She looked terrible. Gingerly, she poured water in a small basin and washed her face, getting rid of the worst signs of exhaustion.

Regina had just finished getting ready when there was a knock at the door. Hesitantly, she opened it a smidge and found Ruby standing on the other side, looking impatient.

"Woah, you look awful." Ruby blinked, taking in the sight in front of her.

"What do you want?" Regina asked, her voice low and threatening.

"There's someone here to see you," Ruby informed her, not unkindly, but still professionally enough. "I think it's your father."

"My father?" Regina asked incredulously.

"He's waiting by the door." Ruby made a rough gesture towards the front of the building.

Without another word, Regina closed the door behind her and quickly made her way outside, immediately spotting the gray-haired man standing under the nearby olive tree. A sense of childlike relief took over her as she sprinted towards him.

"Daddy!" He smiled brightly at her and opened his arms, letting Regina wrap hers around his neck.

"Regina, darling." He held her for a long time, and she revelled in the feeling of being loved unconditionally. She swallowed down the tears that threatened to fall.

"What are you doing here? I thought I wasn't supposed to see you again until September." She pulled back a little, but didn't let go completely.

It wasn't customary for the Vestals to see their parents more than once or twice each year, which is why her father's visit must have been for important reasons.

"I wanted to see that you're all right."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Regina asked carefully.

"I know that your mother is planning something, and that she's going to use you to get her way," he said softly, and Regina had to look away.

"I can handle it," she said with more conviction than she actually felt.

"You deserve better, Regina." He took her hand in his, squeezing lovingly. "You shouldn't have to be a pawn in this game."

Regina looked at her father in surprise; she had never heard him openly criticise Cora before. Just like Regina herself, her father had always lived in fear of her mother and just bent to her will.

"What are you saying?"

"I am saying that maybe life would be better somewhere else, because you're not safe here, my daughter." At Regina's look of uncertainty, he continued: "A compromised Vestal is not in the best interests of the empire."

Regina chewed on her lower lip, considering her next words carefully. "I met someone," she finally uttered quietly. Her father nodded in understanding. "They were going to help me, to get me away from here. But that person is...gone now, and I really don't think I can make it on my own."

"You have to try." He took a firm hold of her shoulders, looking adamantly at her. "I will not watch Cora destroy the only thing I love in this world."

The tears did come then, running silently down Regina's cheeks. "I really don't know what to do, Daddy."

"Just run away, it's better than nothing. Cora will have her way if you stay, you know that." He tenderly wiped the tears away. "You deserved a better life, Regina. I am so sorry I wasn't able to provide it."

"I love you," Regina whispered and hugged him close once more. It dawned on her that this might very well be the last time she ever saw him.

"Be brave, my girl." They slowly pulled apart. "You are so much more resilient than you give yourself credit for." With that, he stepped back and walked away.

Regina watched him make his way further and further away, until she didn't see him anymore. A sudden wave of determination and strength she hadn't felt since Emma's death washed over her. She was going to go down fighting – something she had definitely learned from the blonde gladiator. With the newly found self-confidence, Regina strutted back inside, her mind made up.

She would be gone by the end of the week.


	9. Nine

**CHAPTER 9**

The bathhouse was eerily quiet when Regina walked to the edge of the pool and sat down like countless times before. She had simply wanted to see the place one more time, because no matter what the outcome would be, there was no coming back to this place, ever. The space was different now, of course, because she could wait a dozen lifetimes, and the woman she once downright loathed would never walk in and sit beside her again. She recalled those early moments when they had simply enjoyed the quiet, side by side, letting the water in the pool caress their feet; the other woman's even breathing beside her had been comforting and almost soothing to Regina.

And then there was the time they had started playing dice. Regina snorted. The most prominent of the Vestal priestesses, playing dice; who would've ever thought that would happen? Regina remembered how, at some point, the dice had become secondary in their evening ritual; how they had forgotten the entire game in favour of simply talking and sharing opinions on different issues.

_"I'm going to figure you out, Regina."_

Emma's words, said a lifetime ago, it seemed, sounded in Regina's head. Miraculously, and with incredible precision, Emma had wormed her way through the invisible traps and walls Regina had so carefully built around herself. For the longest time, she had sworn never to let anyone in, but, somehow, Emma had managed to do just that.

"You were such a pain in the backside," Regina whispered out loud, a sad smile playing on her lips. Much to her dismay, a lone tear escaped and rolled down her cheek. As she wiped the moisture away, irately, she registered a faint clicking noise coming from her left. Frowning, she looked towards the sound that seemed to becoming closer. Quickly standing up, Regina was barely on her feet when a die rolled from the darkness and collided with her foot. With trembling fingers, she reached down for it and turned it over in her hand, not daring to think what it meant.

Looking up again, towards the darkness, Regina saw a hooded figure step out of the shadows and slowly approach her. When the mysterious person stepped into the light provided by one of the torches, they unhurriedly pushed the hood back, revealing a thick mane of blonde hair.

Emma stood still, regarding the other woman with an almost sheepish look on her face. "Fancy a game?" she asked, indicating the other dice she was holding.

Regina was hardly aware of the fact that she let go of the die, but the sound it made, hitting the tile floor, shook her from her trance. With a few, quick steps, she was standing directly in front of Emma and, without thought, she raised her hand and slapped the supposedly dead woman across the face.

"Ugh, really?" Emma complained. "Well, I suppose I deserved it this time," she mused, massaging her cheek.

"I thought you were dead!" The Vestal forcefully pushed Emma at the shoulder. "I have cried for you, I have _mourned_ for you, you brute!" Regina shouted, the stress of the previous couple of days finally manifesting itself verbally. She angrily stalked a few paces away from the other woman.

"I'm so sorry." That's all it took, those words said so tenderly that Regina's heart ached. Before she could stop herself, she turned on her heels and launched herself at Emma, her arms winding around the other woman's neck.

"Gods, I hate you," Regina said, her voice muffled against the blonde's neck. She could feel Emma laugh.

"Yeah, I hate you, too." Emma wrapped her arms around Regina's waist and pulled her close.

They stood, embracing each other, until Regina realised how much she had let her emotions show and hurriedly pulled back.

"H-, how? I...I saw you die," Regina asked, frantically wiping her face dry of the tears that had appeared without warning. She stared at the woman in front of her, seemingly unable to tear her eyes away.

"Some other gladiators, my friends, they all thought that the emperor refusing to give me that pardon was unfair," Emma began. Shifting uncomfortably under Regina's steady gaze, she then continued: "Augustus is my training partner; has been from the beginning. We know each other's moves and tricks better than anyone else. The plan was that he would supposedly kill me during our fight; I just had to move fast enough, so that the knife would only slice my armour. There was a good chance it wouldn't work at all and that I would actually end up dead." At Regina's death glare, she hurriedly added: "For real, I mean."

Regina shook her head. "But there was so much blood," she whispered, still seeing the violent scene in her mind with utter clarity.

"Cow's blood; I had a pouch full of it underneath my armour, made me clumsy as heck." Emma was still nervously shifting her weight from one foot to another. "The knife had to cut into it at just the right angle, so the contents would seep out slowly, making the whole thing look real."

"You should've told me." Regina's tone was accusatory now that she was, once again, somewhat in control of her herself. "I had to sit there and watch you bleed to death," she nearly spat the last part out.

"I know, I know. And I truly am sorry for it, truly. But there was no time; Augustus came to me with the plan earlier that day, and we knew it had to be then, or never at all. Too many people would have known otherwise. Please, believe that," Emma begged. "Because no matter what you think of me, you ought to know that I would never intentionally hurt you."

"I thought you were dead."

Emma reached for Regina's hand then, and, perhaps surprising herself more than anything, Regina didn't pull away. Emma's thumb made soothing circles on the back of her hand.

"It was the only way. I promised I'd get you out of the city," Emma explained. The confidence in her demeanour that had, in the beginning, mostly annoyed Regina now made her feel safe.

"When are we leaving?" Regina asked, suddenly remembering the whole picture. She didn't have a lot of time, neither of them did. Emma took a few steps back, pulling Regina along with her.

"Now."

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

With growing trepidation, Regina watched as Emma quickly changed clothes, pulling various items out of a bag she had produced from a hideout behind a few mosaic tiles in a secluded corner of the bathhouse. It was really starting to dawn on the Vestal that everything was about to change; if they made it safely out of the city, Regina would probably never see her home again. She wouldn't hug her father, or talk to Kathryn for the rest of her life. If, on the other hand, they failed and were captured, she would most certainly be put to death. Never mind that staying really wasn't an option either.

"That will never work!" Regina blurted out as she noticed the red, woollen tunic in Emma's hand; the blonde was going to dress up as a Centurion, an officer of the Roman legion.

"Got any better ideas? It's not like I can be your bodyguard, they prance around half naked."

"No one will ever believe you're a Centurion! A foot soldier, maybe, but-,"

"Regina, shut up."

"Where did you even get those?" Regina asked incredulously, eyeing the decorated helmet Emma was now holding.

"You don't want to know," Emma replied absentmindedly, quickly tying up her hair to make sure it didn't show when she put the headgear on.

"So, what's the plan exactly?" Regina hoped the nervousness she felt didn't make it into her voice.

"I'll be your impromptu bodyguard. To anyone who asks, by the emperor's orders, I'm escorting you to a private function at the Altar of Peace."

"A private function?"

"You need to sacrifice something, I don't know. Just make something up, you're the Vestal. Once we get past the altar and across the Tiber, our chances of actually getting out of the city increase tenfold. I have further supplies hidden near the altar, so we'll head there."

Emma put the helmet on, and, despite the seriousness of the situation, Regina couldn't help admiring the sight. The blonde looked powerful, dangerous, even, and Regina felt a shiver of exhilaration go down her spine.

"Regina?" She heard Emma call her name and startled. Her cheeks coloured for being caught staring.

"Yes, right." She cleared her throat.

"Last chance to back out," Emma said, looking at her sympathetically. She picked up a torch and lit it.

"Lead the way, _soldier_ ," Regina replied, her mind made up.

Fortunately, it seemed to be a quiet night, and the women had made it several streets away from the bathhouse before they heard someone walk towards them. There was no time to hide, so Emma quickly glanced at the Vestal, her eyes reassuring, and Regina nodded.

_Time to play the part._

"Please, identify yourself!" Emma raised her voice, holding the torch ahead of her and bringing as much light to the narrow street as possible. A short man appeared from the shadows soon after, carrying an amphora of wine and swaying slightly on his feet. _A drunk_. Both women visibly relaxed.

"Well, since my wine just ran out, I think you could call be 'Grumpy'," he slurred, hugging the apparently now empty amphora to his chest. Eventually, his unfocused gaze landed on the woman standing behind Emma, and his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"Priestess?"

"Is that any way to greet a Vestal?" Regina demanded coldly and watched as all colour drained from the poor man's face. He clumsily dropped on his knee and bowed his head.

"I'm terribly sorry, your Highness," he mumbled.

"Show some respect and don't get up until we're gone," Emma ordered and brushed past him, Regina following suit.

They could hear the man apologising meekly, but neither of them turned to look back.

"Gods!" Regina whispered once they had rounded the corner and were out of earshot. She was certain her heart would leap out of her chest.

"He won't remember any of that in the morning. Or, he won't believe any of it, at least," Emma noted quietly, carefully inching onwards. The torch in her hand made the shadows dance ominously on the walls. The gladiator glanced back briefly, smiling at the brunette. "You did brilliantly."

"I've had practice," Regina quipped, earning a small chuckle from the other woman.

The next moment of possible danger came almost out of the blue when they were nearly past the ruins of Porticus Octaviae. Emma heard the footsteps just in time to pull them both behind a partly fallen pillar before a pair of servants walked past, only a foot away from the two women, pulling a cart full of dirty laundry behind them. The women stood in their hiding place, afraid to even breathe, until they were certain that the men were gone again.

"I don't think my heart can take this," Regina muttered, leaning her head against the marble.

"Sorry, no other option." Emma shrugged apologetically.

"I still can't believe I'm doing this."

"Regrets?"

"None." Regina shook her head, but then amended: "Yet."

"Well, you can regret everything once we get out of the city." Emma pulled her to the street again. "Come on."

Fortunately, they were able to advance almost up to the edge of Campus Martius, where the altar was situated, before their path was intercepted again. This time, Regina felt Emma tense in front of her, and as she saw the person walking towards them, she felt her heart start beating rapidly again: it was a soldier in full armour, just like Emma.

"You'll be fine," Regina said under her breath, refusing to consider the alternative.

"Soldier! Good evening to you." Emma greeted the man with confidence Regina was certain the blonde didn't feel. The gladiator's voice was considerably lower than normal.

"Centurion," the soldier said in surprise and immediately saluted. He frowned when he saw Regina. Regina, for her part, attempted to look as bored with the situation as possible. "What are you doing with a Vestal, Commander?"

"I am accompanying her to the Altar of Peace, by the emperor's orders."

"The emperor?" The soldier's eyebrows climbed high on his forehead. "I'm sorry, Commander, but why would a legionary be allowed to accompany a priestess with such high stature?" The question was aimed at Regina, and the man bowed reverently.

Of course, they would bump into the one soldier who, apparently, had half a brain to question the unusual situation.

"Are you questioning your emperor, Soldier?" Regina demanded to know, her face as emotionless as possible.

"Never, your Highness," the man replied hurriedly. "I am merely making sure the Priestess has not been forced along by this soldier."

Regina saw Emma grip the hilt of her sword. "I assure you, he is simply accompanying me to a private function at the altar, since my bodyguard was quite unwell. I appreciate the concern, however."

The soldier looked doubtful, and Regina held her breath. He was clearly about to protest some more, but didn't have a chance to comment further, because, all of a sudden, a sound of someone running towards them could be heard.

"Fire! There's a fire!" the stranger running past them yelled in alarm, and Regina momentarily forgot the dire situation they were in. What the man had just told them was the last thing anyone wanted to hear; loose fire in a city where most buildings were made of wood was never a good thing. Everyone still remembered the devastating destruction the Great Fire had caused only a few decades earlier.

As soon as the man had disappeared around the corner, distant shouts and cries carried over, and all three of them hurried towards the commotion. They ran ahead for several quarters; more and more people joining them from the surrounding buildings and houses. With relief, Regina noted that the abundance of people eventually separated them from the sceptical soldier. Finally, turning a last corner, the Vestal nearly slammed into Emma's back as the blonde suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. They were greeted by what could only be described as chaos: the entire street in front of them was on fire, the flames rapidly destroying the wooden foundation of the buildings and reaching towards the sky. Men, women, and even children, were running around in panic, trying to gather anything they could use to snuff out the flames.

"Please, tell me you had nothing to do with this," Regina yelled over the commotion, but the shocked look on the other woman's face already answered her question.

"Shit." Regina heard Emma curse next to her. "Regina, my bag with our supplies in it is at the altar, at the end of that street."

"What?" Regina exclaimed, grabbing a hold of Emma's arm. The look in the other woman's eyes made her pause. "What are you saying?"

Her jaw set firmly, Emma pulled Regina away from the chaos. They waded through the masses of people, hurrying in the opposite direction, until Emma finally stopped next to a small alcove, several streets away from the ongoing havoc. The blonde grabbed Regina by the shoulders and stared at her squarely in the eyes.

"I've got to get that bag," Emma stated, and Regina blanched.

"Oh, no you don't," she said warningly, shaking her head.

"Regina, we won't be able to survive without any supplies."

"We can steal them! I don't care what we do, but you're not going back in there!"

"I have to."

"Don't you dare, Swan-,"

"Just wait here, I'll be right back, I promise." Emma gently pushed Regina into the nook in the wall and took off her helmet. "It'll be fine. Stay out of sight." The other woman had run away before Regina had time to register what was happening.

"Swan!" she yelled after her, but there was only darkness in the alley and the distant sounds of people shouting and screaming.

Regina wasn't sure how long she waited. It could've been mere minutes, but it sure felt like an eternity. The sky above the building opposite her was beginning to glow with red and yellow and orange as the fire raged on and was clearly approaching the streets in her direction. Every now and again, someone ran past her, panic in their step, but they were all in too much of a hurry to notice the Vestal pressed against the wall.

When a rumbling sound could be heard—a building had clearly collapsed on itself—it suddenly hit Regina that there was a possibility Emma might not be coming back at all. She could already smell the awful bitterness of smoke and imagined Emma laying unconscious somewhere because the fumes were just too much. Utter fear, the like she had never experienced before, gripped her, and she felt her legs give out under her. Regina slid, unceremoniously, down the wall and to the ground. She gasped for breath, willing for Emma to come back and not leave her alone in the streets of Rome. No doubt her disappearance had been noticed by now; there really was no turning back, and there was no way she would make it far alone without any sort of preparations.

_Damn it, Swan!_

All of a sudden, the sound of someone running up the small street, towards her, registered in her brain. A figure stood over her, and Regina looked up at Emma's face hovering above her.

"Miss me?" the blonde joked, and Regina scrambled up on her feet again.

"Are you fucking insane?" she yelled, hitting Emma on the shoulder plate. Regina raged, the relief she felt mixing with the earlier sense of panic. "You stupid idiot, you could've died! I'm still ridiculously mad at you for the whole faking-your-death thing, and now you go running into a damn fire; that was such a moronic thing to do!"

"I had no choice, Regina."

"Yes, you did!"

Regina stared at Emma's face and saw a black stain on her cheek, a smudge of soot. Tears of frustration burned at the back of her eyes as the thought of Emma never coming back was still present in her mind. Her eyes dropped to the blonde's lips, quite on their own accord, and her heart clenched painfully. Maybe it was the overall stress of the day, or maybe she was simply starting to lose her mind at last, but her brain was momentarily overridden by her heart, and, with a quick step, she was standing in front of the gladiator, her hands cupping Emma's face and their lips colliding in a desperate kiss. Regina heard a faint thump as Emma let go of the bag she'd been holding, and she felt Emma's arms circle her waist, bringing them closer together as their bodies moulded perfectly as one.

Unlike their first kiss—if it even could've been called that—at the imperial palace all those months ago, this was firm and hot and purposeful, desperate, even, and Regina felt it all the way to the tips of her toes. She revelled in the softness of the other woman, thanking whatever deity had brought Emma back to her.

As they finally broke apart for air, Regina froze in place, her brain finally catching up with her heart which she, clearly, couldn't trust.

There was a small smile playing on the blonde's lips. "I'd say that answers my question, whether you missed me or not."

With a self-conscious cough, Regina stepped away from Emma, cursing the momentary lack of self-restraint. Now, _there_ was something she was never, ever going to bring up again. "We should go; the fire won't take the attention away from us forever."

Emma blinked, clearly somewhat bewildered. "Right." She then took a step back as well, scratching the back of her neck in obvious confusion. With a sigh, Emma picked up the helmet again and put it on, hoisting the bag of supplies on her shoulder once she was done with the headgear. Taking Regina gently by the arm, she pulled them away from the alcove. "Come on."

It soon became clear that the fire was more severe than Regina had even anticipated. Although they had left the actual flames behind, the wind made sure that the smoke travelled everywhere, making it difficult to see. Emma grabbed a new torch from a wall, but it did little to ease their task. Coughing, Regina pressed the fabric of her palla to her mouth, breathing harshly through it to avoid the acrid fumes. She knew that the bank of the river Tiber wasn't terribly far, and with that goal in mind, the brunette pushed forward. Her hand grasped the sleeve of Emma's tunica to make sure she was able to follow the other woman as they traipsed along the narrow, cobbled streets.

After what felt like forever, Regina felt Emma slow down, and her spirits rose as she spotted the Pons Agrippae, one of the main bridges crossing the river.

"If anyone asks, I'm getting you to safety; from the fire," Emma explained hurriedly, glancing around her to make sure the coast was clear. Regina nodded once, and the two made their way quickly towards the bridge.

Regina had to force herself not to run as she kept her gaze on the opposite end of the bridge where things would be, at least partially, easier for them. Only a few people passed them, but, fortunately, they didn't pay much attention to the two women, since the fire raging in the city had them captivated. They made it safely across, and Regina was able to let go of some of the trepidation she was feeling. Her feet were aching and her lungs burning, but she refused to stop before Emma figured it was safe to do so. They trekked upwards, away from the roads and up the hills of Mons Ianiculus. Emma had ditched the torch as soon as they'd made it across the river, but there wasn't even any need for it, since the fire on the other side easily illuminated their path.

"Okay, this is far enough," Emma finally assessed, and Regina sighed in relief. She glanced over her shoulder and saw how the flames were slowly but surely swallowing big chunks of the Eastern part of the city. Her city, her home, was burning, and, coincidentally, it was also the reason why they'd made it as far as this without much trouble. It dawned on Regina that she was truly leaving everything behind.

A hand on Regina's shoulder distracted her from her sombre musings.

"Regina?" Emma asked gently, but with a hint of urgency. "You need to change."

"What?"

"Clothes, you need to change clothes," Emma explained, pulling various items of clothing from the bag. "From now on, it's better if people don't immediately realise you're a Vestal."

"Right, of course." Regina couldn't even remember the last time she'd worn regular clothes; fourteen years as a priestess had made the memories of her previous life surprisingly hazy. She took the dress and shawl Emma handed her and eyed the worn fabric with scepticism. "What is this?"

"A dress."

"I am not wearing it."

"Regina, I think it goes without saying that we do not have time for this." Emma sighed in frustration.

"But-,"

"Put it on!"

Huffing indignantly, Regina slipped the palla off her shoulders, all the while mumbling something about how the dress was certainly an item Emma had most probably bought off a prostitute at the halls of the amphitheatre. Emma rolled her eyes. The blonde took off her helmet and threw it to the ground; she also got rid of the shoulder plates, but left on the body armour itself.

"You look nice," Emma complimented once the brunette was done. Regina had pulled on the dress nervously; it felt strange to wear such ordinary clothes after so many years. Wrapping the different palla—green this time—around her shoulders and also slipping into a pair of more sensible shoes that Emma had produced from the, apparently, bottomless bag, the Vestal took a steadying breath.

"Now what?"

"Now we get out of the city for good. Even if we take it easy, we should be able to make it far enough while it's still dark," Emma assessed, throwing the bag over her shoulder again.

With one final look at the city, and the life, behind her, Regina took Emma's outstretched hand and followed the other woman into the darkness, away from everything she knew.


	10. Ten

**CHAPTER 10**

After a few days, the two women had made good progress and were already out of the immediate vicinity of Rome. As they were now able to travel in daylight, rather than in the dead of the night, the progress was significantly faster. They kept away from the roads, instead following them in the woods and undergrowth a little ways away.

Despite the successful execution of the first part of their journey, Regina found her mood gradually worsen, until, eventually, it ranged from somewhat sorrowful to downright desperate; she missed her life – no matter how controlled it had been. The harsh conditions—scorching sun during the day and the near freezing winds during the night—did nothing to elevate her state of mind.

And then there was the unfortunate accident after the fire which Regina couldn't seem to forget. She was appalled at her own behaviour, at practically throwing herself at Emma, because, considering how she'd been raised, it certainly should've been the other way around. Gritting her teeth, she mentally kicked herself.

It seemed Emma could sense her moodiness, because the blonde didn't talk much, letting Regina figure things out by herself. Of course, Emma, in all likelihood, understood better than anyone what it was like to be dragged away from your home and your life, so Regina appreciated the space she was given. Every once in a while, the other woman wordlessly offered a flagon of water which Regina gratefully accepted, but that tended to be the extent of their interactions.

Stumbling after the former gladiator, Regina, once again, lamented that this wasn't her world at all. In the middle of the wilderness, she was like a fish out of water; she didn't know where to go, or what to do. She was forced to follow Emma's lead, utterly dependant on the other woman. With every step, Regina, more and more, began doubting her decision to flee; even if a certain death waited for her in Rome, what sort of a life was this, really?

"Let's head closer to the road; we need to see what those signs say," Emma broke the silence without warning, gesturing towards the paved carriageway on their left.

Regina followed suit, her thoughts gloomier than ever. She ran a hand through her hair, finding twigs and gods knew what tangled in it, and that was, pretty much, when she lost it.

"I can't do this," she stated, stopping dead in her tracks.

Emma glanced over her shoulder and then turned around completely when she saw the distraught look on the brunette's face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, I can't do this." Uncharacteristically, Regina was starting to hyperventilate. "I'm not made for this; I won't stay one more night under the stars, or walk through these goddamn bushes anymore!"

"Regina-," Emma tried to interrupt, but Regina went on.

"No! This... _savage_ lifestyle might be for you, but I was born in the eternal city of Rome! I need a comfortable bed and proper food, I can't-,"

"Be quiet," Emma said suddenly and forcefully.

"Excuse me? No matter what you might think, you don't get to order me around. I-," Regina's tirade was cut short when Emma quickly leaped towards her, turned her around and pressed a palm firmly against the Vestal's mouth.

Regina struggled against the strong arms around her and was able to move away from the hand on her face. "What in Jupiter's name do you think you're doing? Get your hands off-," Regina was silenced once more by Emma's hand, this time with more force.

"Be quiet!" Emma hissed, her breath tickling Regina's ear. She dragged them behind a large pine tree close by and dropped down on the ground, taking the brunette with her.

Regina was just about to start another wrestling match by biting into Emma's palm when she heard the distinctive sound of hooves approaching along the road. In an instant, she stopped struggling, going limp in Emma's arms, almost too afraid to breathe.

The horses—there must have been at least five—galloped closer to the spot where the two women were hiding, just out of sight. Blood rushing in her ears, Regina squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that the riders hadn't heard her yelling, that they wouldn't be noticed. She felt Emma hold on to her just a tad tighter when the horsemen reached the spot and, fortunately, passed them by without slowing down.

As the galloping grew fainter, and then disappeared altogether, Emma slowly let go of Regina and stood up.

"Well, that was kind of close," Emma mused and brushed dirt and needles off her clothes. She offered her hand to Regina in order to help the brunette get on her feet as well.

But, instead of taking it, Regina ignored the gesture and buried her face in her own hands. She was losing her mind, and, just now, she had almost blown their cover completely. She didn't belong here. Distantly, she heard Emma move and then felt a warm hand on her knee.

"Regina, look at me." She couldn't do that. How could she? Not after this. "Please."

"Please go," Regina said quietly, her voice slightly muffled by her hands. "Just leave me here."

"Would you stop the martyr act, it doesn't suit you." Gently, Emma pried the hands away, and Regina saw the familiar green eyes in front of her. "I know what it's like to be ripped away from your life and to be put in an environment you know nothing about. It feels like you're drowning; only, the merciful death never arrives."

"I don't belong out here," Regina admitted, shaking her head.

"And I didn't belong in Rome, but hey, somehow, I survived." Emma smiled kindly. "You'll be fine, trust me."

"I know I can't go back, but... I still can't help wondering," the brunette tried to explain, willing Emma to understand that she wasn't oblivious to the reality of the situation.

"I know." Emma's thumb rubbed her knee soothingly. "But those horsemen that just passed us? They were the emperor's men, I'm afraid, and probably after you."

"So, more hiding in the woods?" Regina sighed.

"More hiding in the woods." Emma cringed. "Sorry."

"I suppose I'll manage." That earned a grin from Emma who got on her feet again. This time, when she offered her hand, Regina took it.

"Good. Just remember, all we need to do is get to Milan, and then you're set. No more barbarian way of life for you."

Regina smiled at that, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Because, as much as she loathed the life out in the middle of nowhere, it had also fleetingly crossed her mind that a life in Milan might not be the solution she was looking for either. With a resigned sigh, Regina followed Emma to the side of the road, and, after they had made sure no one was in the vicinity, they approached the road markers.

_Tarquinia. 40 leagues._

At least they were making progress.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

That evening, they set camp in a remote location again, behind a large boulder surrounded by pines and junipers, this time. Emma put together their very modest sleeping quarters, consisting of a single blanket that she rigged with ropes to resemble a primitive tent; it barely covered them from possible rain clouds. Earlier in the day, they had come across a farmhouse, and Emma had—on Regina's insistence—stolen an extra blanket from the washing line, a blanket Regina was now more than happy to use as a makeshift mattress. She had told the blonde to take more than one, but Emma had refused, insisting that the farming family probably had to make ends meet as it was. Regina had just rolled her eyes, because, of course, Emma would always put everyone else before herself – even when running from the emperor.

The sky was clear, which allowed the nearly full moon to cast just enough light that Regina was able to see Emma as the blonde walked towards their hardly adequate sleeping quarters. Emma had put out the small fire earlier, to avoid people spotting their hideaway during the night; without it, however, the chill of the night air was starting to seep into Regina's body, no matter how tightly she tried to wrap the blanket and her palla around herself. With a small huff, Emma lay down and adjusted the bag she was using as a pillow.

"Are you ready to tell me why you're really here?" Emma suddenly spoke, startling Regina.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you want to leave Rome and come with me?"

"I told you, my mother."

"Yeah, but there has to be more to it than that. Your little meltdown earlier sort of proved it." There was movement, and Regina assumed that Emma was turning towards her. Her suspicions were confirmed when the blonde continued, her voice closer to Regina now. "Why didn't you just go to the emperor? Have him deal with her."

"Because I couldn't."

"Why?"

"Why do you care?" Regina asked, genuinely perplexed by Emma's continuing interest in her life.

"Because, for some inexplicable reason, I care about you; you can be absolutely infuriating and hot-headed, but, most of the time, I just find it endearing." Emma chuckled. "And, believe it or not, I know you by now. For example, I know that right now, you're probably scowling at my audacity."

The small but sharp intake of breath gave Regina away.

"So, Regina," Emma said, "I want to know why you were dead set at coming with me when it was probably one of the hardest things you've ever had to do."

They were quiet for a long time after that, before Regina finally spoke. "I was trapped between a rock and a hard place," she said quietly.

"Tell me." Emma prompted gently, and Regina, once again, found herself opening up to the woman who she really should have loathed with all her being.

Once she was done, Emma whistled. "I knew plotting and backstabbing are a way of life in Rome, but, really, I had no idea."

"People rarely know what goes on behind the scenes."

"I can't believe your mother would do that to you, to her own daughter."

"Our relationship has never been very traditional," Regina admitted, giving a humourless laugh.

"I'm sorry you've had to experience that," Emma said sympathetically.

"Well, I finally reached my breaking point, it seems," she said sarcastically. "Some might say it was cowardly of me to run."

"Only an idiot would have stayed."

"Maybe; but it's still treason. I never thought I would be committing that one," Regina mused, sighing.

"You had no choice."

"I suppose." They fell silent again. "Now, be quiet, I'm trying to get some sleep. I feel exhausted," Regina finally stated and emphasised her point by turning on her side and facing away from Emma.

"Okay, goodnight." Emma yawned.

"Goodnight."

It took a while to find a comfortable position. Regina was just about to pull her legs up to her chest in order to preserve all the warmth that was still left, when she felt Emma scoot closer to her. There was a pause, and then an arm slipped around her waist, pulling her closer to the body behind her.

"Swan?" Regina asked warningly, the blonde's breath tickling her neck.

"It's cold," was the short reply.

"Well, whose fault is that?" she asked, turning her head slightly.

"Can we fight about this in the morning?" Emma asked, clearly just about to fall asleep.

"This is highly inappropriate," Regina tried to resist, but it was getting more and more difficult to give up the comforting warmth radiating from the other woman.

"Hmmh." It was the last thing the blonde uttered before her breathing evened out – a clear sign that she had fallen asleep. Regina bit her lip in frustration, but, finally, gave up the fight and pressed closer to Emma, deciding to enjoy the shared body heat, since there was no alternative.

Much to Regina's dismay, she slept better than any other night since receiving the dreadful note from her mother.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Regina woke up with a start when a particularly loud crow squawked in a nearby tree. She blinked a few times, trying to orientate to her surroundings and the light streaming through the thick foliage. For the past week, she had slept her nights like a baby, secure and warm in Emma's arms, because, somehow, they always ended up wrapped around each other after sundown. Regina refused to dwell on the fact and simply reasoned that it was only due to the shared warmth which allowed them to get a good night's sleep.

Stretching, she slowly sat up, only to realise that she was alone and covered with an extra blanket; Emma had clearly given hers to Regina before disappearing. Frowning slightly, the brunette looked around her, trying to spot the other woman, but Emma wasn't anywhere at the campsite. Although she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the blonde would never actually walk out on her, a sense of dread still took residence in Regina's mind.

She was folding the blankets in preparation for the day's journey when she heard footsteps, and a chipper blonde appeared from behind the trees with a pleased look on her face. Regina mentally sighed in relief.

"Look what I've got," Emma said, showing off a dead hare.

"Somehow, this image doesn't surprise me at all."

"Ha-ha. I saw a pack nearby and thought we could use some meat this morning. Good thing I can still set up a mean snare." She sat down on a fallen tree trunk and began skinning the dead animal.

Regina regarded her. "It _would_ be a nice change after all the berries and disgusting seeds you've made me eat," Regina said mordantly, but Emma didn't seem rattled by it at all. Briefly, the brunette wondered when exactly Emma had become completely immune to her sharp remarks which used to scare people out of their minds; no one had wanted to upset the eminent Vestal Regina in fear of becoming the target of her sharp tongue. Then again, Emma had always seemed to almost enjoy the brunette's acerbic comments, which is how they had ended up in this mess in the first place.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" Regina suddenly asked, when she saw Emma bringing a knife to the now skinned hare.

"Um... Cutting this thing into pieces?" Emma halted her movements in confusion.

"That's not how you do it properly, you'll spoil the meat," Regina said, exasperated, and snatched the knife from Emma. "Just light the fire and get me some herbs, I'll do the rest." She swatted the blonde's hands away and took the hare.

"You can cook?" Emma asked in wonder.

"Of course I can cook." Regina rolled her eyes.

"I... I thought you had slaves and servants for that."

"I learned from one of them, when I was little, and my former husband wanted me to make something every once in a while," Regina explained, cutting neatly into the animal. "Besides, Vestals are in charge of the food offerings to the goddess."

"Wow. Okay." Emma still hadn't moved.

"Would you get on with it?" Regina asked, feeling fidgety under Emma's intense stare.

"Right. Yes." The blonde finally stood up and began making the fire.

It wasn't long before they were enjoying proper meat for the first time in a long time. It tasted excellent, even if Regina thought so herself. Emma had found some fresh herbs, and after cooking the pieces on a skewer over the fire, they were now gobbling them down—well, Emma mostly—with gusto.

"Oh, my sweet Nerthus, this is so good, Regina." Emma moaned as she took another bite.

Regina felt her cheeks colour – for various reasons.

"Better than the damn seeds, huh?" She smiled triumphantly, taking a slightly more sophisticated bite herself.

"A million times better," Emma complimented her and reached for more. "You know," she began after a while, "I think we should make a detour into the next town, or city, that we come across."

"Why?" Regina frowned, immediately feeling on edge for the heightened possibility of getting caught.

"Because, I think I should do some scouting, get the latest rumours and find out whether the news of a disappeared Vestal has reached these parts yet," Emma explained. "Besides, we could find a bathhouse and get ourselves cleaned up properly. Brooks and ponds can only do so much."

"I do like the sound of that," Regina mused; the idea of a hot bath seemed absolutely divine.

"Figured that you might." Emma chuckled. "Also, we're pretty close to Milan, so you need to look your best, right?" It was said with a smile that didn't quite reach the blonde's eyes.

Regina couldn't, for the life of her, decipher that look.

"Indeed," she replied, the feeling of uncertainty invading her mind again. Over the past week, she had come to think, and rethink, what she ought to do once they got to Milan. After every forward step, the thought of staying in the city felt more and more alien, more wrong. But what else could she do? She couldn't follow Emma forever; she was slowing them down as it was. And if she did keep following Emma, would there really be any place left in the Roman colonies where she could settle down without eventually being revealed as a fugitive?

Indeed, a few days later, it was with a heavy heart that Regina followed Emma to Parma. They had happened upon Via Aemilia, one of the major roads connecting Rome to its immediate territories, and, following it closely, they finally stepped through the city gates. It was fairly late in the evening (but fortunately, still before sunset), so the first bathhouse they came across was practically empty. Quickly shedding her clothes and stepping into the warm pool, Regina nearly moaned out loud as the soft water enveloped her sore and aching body. Her feet, especially, were killing her.

"Gods, I've missed this," she mumbled, closing her eyes and leaning against the tiles. She allowed herself to have this blissful moment and not worry about what the future might bring.

"Precisely what I was thinking," Emma said after Regina heard her get into the pool as well.

They sat in silence for a while, thoroughly enjoying this moment of relaxation. Eventually, they were the only ones in the bathhouse.

"Where are we going to stay the night?" Regina asked finally, glancing at the blonde next to her. She was suddenly struck by the natural beauty of Emma; she had an unexplainable urge to reach out and run a finger down the column of the blonde's neck, all the way down to... Mentally admonishing herself for letting her thoughts stray, Regina turned away guiltily.

"I saw a tavern a few houses down, so we can ask for a room there."

"A tavern?" Regina whipped her head to the side so quickly that she nearly slipped off her seat and under the water. "A _tavern_?"

Taverns were notorious for being shady and salacious in every way, hubs for prostitution and other semi-illegal activities. In other words, they were dangerous, and one didn't enter such an establishment without looking for trouble.

"If you have any other ideas, I'm all ears." Emma didn't seem particularly phased by Regina's reaction. It was so late that they couldn't have left the city anymore anyway.

"And how exactly are we going to pay for it? You know I don't have any money." It suddenly struck her that, apart from the golden bracelet she had promised Emma, she was truly without means. Yet another thing she really hadn't thought through.

"Well, you're in luck, because I do." Emma winked and grinned.

"Did you steal someone's purse?" Regina asked, appalled at the idea.

"Gods, Regina, give me some credit." Emma turned to her fully, almost scowling. "No, it's actually all mine; I've saved quite a nice nest egg."

"All yours? Where on earth did you get money in the first place?"

"Just because I didn't get paid for battling at the arena doesn't mean that I didn't have, well, sponsors." It was said somewhat vaguely.

"Sponsors?" Regina raised her eyebrow. "Care to elaborate?"

"Some of my...admirers wanted to provide for me, so that I could pay for, well, something. Pamper myself, so to speak."

"Something?"

"Uh, prostitutes." At the thunderous look on Regina's face, Emma quickly continued: "Obviously, I didn't! Rather, I saved it all for this very purpose."

"I'm impressed. Thinking ahead, that's good," Regina complimented, although she didn't want to consider how many times Emma had made an exception that proved her own rule.

"Wow, was that an actual compliment from the eminent Vestal Regina?" Emma feigned shock.

"No, I'm just surprised a barbarian, such as yourself, was able to form such a plan." The small smile on Regina's face took the sting away from her words.

"You wound me." Emma sighed dramatically, leaning back again. "Anyway, once we're done here, we should check out that tavern. After we're settled in, I'll make a little trip around the bars in the area."

"Just make sure you're sober once you get back." Regina wrinkled her nose in disdain. "Otherwise, you'll be sleeping out in the street."

"Yes, dear," Emma mocked and splashed water on Regina's face, earning a stern glare from the brunette. Emma just laughed, and, although Regina crossed her arms above her chest in annoyance, she felt a stubborn smile tug at her own lips as well.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

It wasn't _that_ bad, Regina had to admit, when she sat rigidly on the edge of the bed and glanced around the room Emma had secured for them for the night. It definitely wasn't what her own personal quarters at the House of the Vestals had been, but the space still seemed fairly clean and tidy. In terms of furnishings, it was downright bare, since, apart from the bed, there was only a small table with a dirty wash basin and a chair in the corner. Nevertheless, being inside of such an establishment still made the hairs at the back of Regina's neck stand up, and, in fact, she had bolted the door as soon as Emma had left for her expedition. Constantly listening to the sounds outside the room, as well as under the sole window which faced onto the street, she clenched her hands into fists and waited.

She waited, and she waited, and, then, she waited some more. At some point, there was giggling in the hallway, and Regina heard a female voice beckoning someone to show her a good time before the sound of a door closing could be heard. The brunette involuntarily shivered. Regina, the most revered and respected of the Vestals, in a tavern, waiting for her barbaric companion to return, and listening to people doing gods know what on the other side of the wall. _Oh, mother would be proud_.

It felt like an eternity until Regina heard footsteps approach their room and stop outside the door. There was a small knock, and, despite herself, she froze.

"Regina?" Emma's voice was muffled.

"Took you long enough!" she commented once she had unbolted the door and swung it open to reveal Emma standing on the other side. "Have you been drinking?" she asked, vexed, as a strong whiff of ale reached her nose.

"No, someone slipped and poured the remains of their pint on me. So much for the bath." Emma grimaced at the large stain on her tunic and pushed past Regina. "And, fine, I had one beer. It's easier to talk to people that way."

"I'm sure." Regina pursed her lips and eyed the blonde. Fortunately, she didn't seem drunk. "So, what did you find out?"

"Not much, which is actually a good thing." Emma plopped down on the bed, removing her footwear. "As in, the news of your disappearance hasn't reached these parts yet."

"How about the emperor's men we saw that one time?"

"Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. They must've been conducting a search in the surrounding countryside only; if they were after you at all." Emma sighed. "But it's only a matter of time; there's no way the emperor would let you get away with this. They must've figured out by now that you aren't hiding within the city walls anymore."

"Most likely; besides, I doubt my mother and Gold want to give up on me either," Regina mused. "I know too much."

"Eventually, people here will start talking as well; two strange women, roaming the streets, it attracts attention. So, the faster we get out of the city, the better." Emma nodded. "Tomorrow morning, we'll visit the marketplace, get ourselves some supplies and food for the road, and then we head out. Oh, and we'll make a small detour to the bathhouse as well."

"Fine." Regina knew it was the only possible option, but being among civilisation and people again—albeit rather ignoble ones—had somewhat eased the tension caused by wading through the wilderness and sleeping without a roof over her head.

"So, we should probably get some sleep. It's going to be a long day tomorrow; we need to get as far away from here as possible." Emma stood up and began unfastening the knots of her tunic.

Regina got rid of her dress as well and slipped under the covers in her undergarments. She pulled the sheet up to her jaw and turned on her side, away from the blonde who was still standing next to the bed. She waited for the mattress to dip as Emma got in, but it never happened. Instead, she heard the blonde rummaging through their bag for what she assumed was the infamous stolen blanket, because soon, the small oil lamp on the bedside table was extinguished, and the other woman lay down on the hard floor.

"Uh, Swan?" Regina asked questioningly.

"Yes?"

"Why are you on the floor?"

"You said I smell like ale."

"Oh."

The silence stretched on, and Regina wasn't sure if Emma was even awake anymore.

"Are you awake still?"

"What is it?"

Another silence.

"I'm cold."

Regina held her breath.

"Oh, okay."

Regina heard the other woman get up from the floor and then felt the bed tip. A moment later, strong arms circled her waist, and Emma's nose pressed against her hair. The brunette refused to acknowledge how used to this night-time ritual she had become, so, instead, she closed her eyes and waited for the sleep to claim her.

"Goodnight, Regina." It was nearly a whisper, the blonde clearly almost asleep,

"Goodnight," Regina answered quietly and then added, on a whim: "Emma."

The reply she received was the tightening of the blonde's arms around her.


	11. Eleven

**CHAPTER 11**

The next morning, the women were up with the sun. As soon as they were finished with their morning tasks, and after eating the last of the food that was left, they headed out for the bathhouse where Emma got rid of the stench of ale, much to Regina's delight. The market place they found with ease as it was nestled in the middle of town, the destination for most of the traffic. Despite the early hour of the morning, it was already bustling with energy and people; the farmers had arrived from the surrounding countryside with their produce, fishermen had last night's catches on display, and artisans were selling the various products they had practically made from scratch. Emma and Regina wandered about the different stalls, trying to decide what they needed for the final leg of the journey to Milan.

"I think you should get a new dress," Emma mused as they passed a woman selling various items of clothing. "One that you actually like." She chuckled.

"Okay, but then you should also replace that tunic of yours. It's starting to smell." Regina crunched up her nose and eyed the offending garment.

"Deal." Emma nodded after taking a sniff and concluding that Regina definitely had a point. She handed over some coins to the brunette "Let's meet back here in a while. I'll go get some food for the road and a proper bow for hunting."

"Fine," Regina agreed, already rummaging through the pile of dresses on display.

Regina hated to admit it, but the dress Emma had provided for her was actually rather comfy, and not nearly as unpleasant to wear as she had insinuated. But, after the exhausting trek from Rome, it had definitely seen better times. She finally settled for a green gown that was both practical and stylish. Digging the coins from the small pouch at her waist, she was just about to ask for the price of the dress when her eyes landed on a small wooden tablet with various trinkets pinned on it. An idea came to her, quite out of nowhere, and she immediately dismissed it as utterly ridiculous, only to return to the tablet again, only moments later.

She shouldn't, should she? No, it was a really absurd idea, stupid, even. Regina was having an internal battle with herself when the voice of the stall keeper interrupted her.

"Would you like to buy that dress, madam?" a girl in her teens asked.

"Yes, thank you." Regina handed over the dress and, in a moment of madness, also indicated the object which had had her so spellbound the moment she saw it. "And this as well."

"Very well." The girl smiled and began wrapping the dress in a bundle.

Regina slipped the trinket in the pouch, and she had just paid the girl when Emma appeared next to her, with various items under her arm. The brunette took her purchases and followed Emma towards the edge of the marketplace when, suddenly, her breath got caught in her throat. She grabbed Emma's arm, causing the blonde to turn around in confusion. Emma followed her line of sight, frowning; as her eyes landed on what had Regina so spooked, the brunette felt Emma tense under her fingers.

The emperor's men.

Regina could see the distinct insignia, decorating one of the flags they were carrying, and the men were also dressed in the special uniform of Titus' personal guard. The soldiers were clearly talking to the people around them, asking questions, the citizens all shaking their heads or shrugging.

Emma took a tentative step backwards. "Regina, turn around slowly and walk with a normal pace. Don't do anything that would attract attention," she said quietly and turned on her heels herself.

Swallowing hard, Regina did the same, and with her heart, once again, beating a mile a minute, she slowly followed Emma to the other side of the square. She nearly sprinted when they reached the last of the stalls, but Emma's hand in hers suddenly stopped her from doing so. The blonde's fingers entwined with her own, and Regina felt a sense of calmness enter her.

"We'll be fine, just act normal," Emma whispered under her breath and led them down one street and then up another. They passed people and carriages, chickens running across the road, and children playing hopscotch, and, all the while, Emma didn't let go of Regina's hand, her touch assuring Regina that they would make it out of the city safely.

Once they reached the edge of the town, and made sure no one was watching, Emma finally said the magic word: "Run!"

They scampered through the gates and towards the patch of trees only a little ways away. The muscles of her feet were protesting, but Regina refused to slow down; instead, she clutched the dress she had bought against her chest and panted, her lungs burning. They stumbled all the way across the field full of ragweed, and, as they were finally enveloped by the trees, Regina practically threw the bundle to the ground and bent forward, gasping for air. From the corner of her eye she saw Emma leaning against a tree, a hand on her chest. It took a while until either of them could speak.

"Well, that was unnecessarily close," Emma finally said, still breathing heavily, sweat glistening on her forehead. "Thank the gods you saw them."

"I can't believe they're here," Regina lamented, shaking her head. She stood up straight again, albeit with some difficulty.

"Hey, they won't catch us," Emma reassured, walking purposefully to Regina and taking her hands in hers.

"You can't possibly know that!"

"Actually, I can," Emma said with conviction.

"Oh, really?" Regina snorted.

"I won't let them."

"Everything's that simple with you, isn't it?"

"I promised you I would take you to Milan," Emma explained. "And I never break a promise."

"I'm starting to realise that," Regina said with something akin to amazement.

"So, let's change out of these awful clothes and get out of here." Emma winked and squeezed Regina's hands one more time before letting go.

She watched as Emma walked a little further away from her, wondering, not for the first time, how it was even possible that a woman like that existed.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"So, tell me about Leopold," Emma said suddenly as they were wading across a thick growth of wild oats.

They were both wearing their comfortable new clothes. Regina had been satisfied to find out that Emma had discarded the ludicrous tunic fashion altogether; the blonde was now wearing a practical leather armour type thing underneath her cloak, which, in Regina's opinion, was a tremendous improvement from the red tunic. Emma had also purchased a bow and a quiver, both of which she now happily carried on her back.

"Why?" Regina replied, a little perplexed by Emma's line of questioning; no matter how hard she tried, her automatic reaction to someone being interested in her and her life was still suspicion.

"I'm supposed to leave you with this man, so I want to know who he is."

"Excuse me, but the last time I checked, you were not my guardian." Regina's tone took a crabby edge.

"I'm sorry for caring, Regina, but how can you be sure he's going to help you?" Raising her eyebrow poignantly, Emma continued: "He left you."

"He was always kind to me," Regina said defensively.

"But he _left_ you."

"What's your point?"

"My point is that he sounds like an idiot and a fool." Emma glanced at her sideways. "I can't believe anyone would ever leave someone like you."

Regina looked down to the ground as she walked, an unexpected blush suddenly colouring her cheeks. When Leopold had walked out on her, Cora had blamed her for a long time, accusing her of ruining everything, of, once again, not being good enough. It was strange, having someone think she wasn't entirely to blame for the ordeal. In fact, Emma's annoyance at Leopold's actions rather warmed her heart.

"So, tell me, what makes you think he's going to help you?" Emma asked again.

"Like I said, he's a kind man, and, during our marriage, he was always amicable. He only wanted a family which I, obviously, couldn't give him." Regina shrugged, trying to play it off. She was quite sure, however, that Emma didn't buy it. "He's going to help me; you don't need to play the saviour this time."

"Why do you always downplay my willingness to help?" Emma asked, only slightly aggravated.

"I don't," Regina defended herself.

Emma gave a laugh. "Oh, yes, you do."

Regina's eyes blazed. "Believe what you want, then," she uttered through gritted teeth and stalked ahead, leaving the blonde in her wake.

Regina's indignation lasted all of two days. She mulled over the discussion in her head and, much to her annoyance, came to the conclusion that, yes, she might have slightly overreacted. When they stopped to set up camp for the night, she reluctantly seated herself beside Emma. Emma hadn't tried to approach the brunette much after she had, quite unceremoniously, stormed off (though, really, there was only so far Regina could go, because Emma was the better scout by far, and she was forced to follow her; it dulled the effect quite a bit), and she didn't say anything now either, as they sat in front of the fire in silence.

"I do appreciate your concern," Regina finally uttered in a rush, daring a glance at the woman next to her. When there was no reply, she went on: "Leopold is a good man, he will help me. You can trust me on that."

Emma looked at Regina then. "Whether you like it or not, I care about what happens to you. That's the only reason I asked about him." She leaned her arms against her knees, staring at the flames again.

"I know." Regina self-consciously brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "You know I'm not very good with people, and I don't know how to react when they actually want what's best for me." She shrugged, uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry you're not used to that, because you deserve nothing less."

Regina felt her cheeks redden at the compliment, annoyed over the fact that it seemed to be happening more and more lately. With Emma, she, apparently, wasn't able to control her body's reactions, which was so very unlike her. Vestal Regina had had the ability to destroy people simply by looking at them sternly, but the Regina who was trekking through the Roman territories was someone she didn't, necessarily, always even recognise.

"Leopold will be able to help me; you honestly need not worry," she said sincerely, still feeling awkward over Emma's kind words.

"Okay, that's all I wanted to hear." Emma nodded, offering a small smile. "I haven't gotten you this far just so that they can ship you back to Rome as soon as I turn my back."

"He won't do that."

"Good."

Emma threw more wood into the fire, and they fell silent again. Listening to the fire crack and seeing the flames dance, Regina suddenly remembered her impromptu purchase at the marketplace. Her hand flew to the small pouch attached to her hip, and she felt the object through the thin leather.

"I... I have something for you." Regina suddenly felt ridiculous.

"What's that?" Emma asked, surprised, and turned to look at her.

Regina pursed her lips as she gathered the courage to go ahead with it all; because it was impossibly sentimental, and if there was something Vestal Regina did not do, it was sentimentality. Then again, it wasn't like she was a Vestal anymore. "I saw this at the marketplace in Parma, and since you, quite inexplicably, gave yours away, I figured you needed a replacement."

She reached inside the pouch and produced a small pendant which she handed to Emma. The blonde took it and studied it curiously, her eyes widening as she realised the significance of it. It was a silver coin in a chain, much alike the one Emma had given Regina all those months ago in the hallway of the imperial palace. But, instead of a swan, it had an imprint of a flame on it, a clear allusion to Regina's role as a Vestal.

"Regina, I..." Emma was speechless.

"I just wanted to replace the necklace you gave away, that's all. They didn't have a swan one, though," Regina explained, embarrassed. Yes, this was obviously an utterly inane thing to do.

"It's beautiful." Emma smiled radiantly, turning the coin in her hands. "Thank you."

"Like I said, it's cheap and not really anything special. And since we're separating soon, I figured...but you're welcome." The brunette shrugged.

"What ever happened to the swan one, by the way?" Emma asked, still admiring the necklace with a smile before fastening it around her neck.

"Oh, I..." Suddenly feeling too emotionally exposed for one day, Regina cleared her throat uncomfortably and turned away. "I lost it, I'm sorry."

"Oh, okay." The hurt in Emma's voice was obvious, which is why Regina was more than happy to be facing away from the blonde; she didn't need to see the look of disappointment on her face.

After a while, Regina spoke again: "Why the swan?"

"How do you mean?"

"That one time, at the imperial palace, you told me that you thought swans were inspirational. What did you mean by that?" At Emma's surprised look, Regina shrugged indifferently. "I listen."

"Obviously." A look of nostalgia came upon Emma's features. "When I was little, there was a swan couple living in a pond near my village. Year after year, they had their nest in the same bed of reeds; they raised their flock and would viciously attack anyone who threatened their partner, or their chicks." There was a small pause. "I think that finding someone you were prepared to defend with your life, someone you were willing to die for, is something to aspire to."

"But allowing someone to have such power over you makes you weak."

"Quite the opposite, I think." Emma furrowed slightly. "To have someone you care about, someone to live and die for, makes you the strongest you can be."

Regina didn't really have an answer to that, and the silence between them stretched on.

Eventually, Emma spoke again, fiddling with the pendant Regina had given her: "So, does this mean I get to call you, I don't know, 'Blaze' from now on?" She was clearly trying to keep from laughing. "Oh, how about 'Sparky'?"

Regina looked at her, aghast. "Don't push your luck, Swan."

With a laugh, Emma let go of the necklace, slipping it underneath her leather armour. Shaking her head, clearly amused, the blonde threw yet another stick into the fire. Seeing Emma's eyes sparkle in such a charming manner, Regina was suddenly glad she had gone through with the whole pendant thing – no matter how nauseating her newfound sentimentality appeared.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"I have to say, I never really thought we would actually make it." Regina pursed her lips and looked at the view before them.

The two women were standing on a hill, only a league or so from the city of Milan waiting for them in the distance.

"Your trust in me is comforting," Emma deadpanned, bumping Regina playfully with her shoulder. "Well then, we'd better get moving. You could be with Leopold before sundown." Emma's voice was chipper, but Regina was sure she heard a slight wistfulness in it as well. Or, maybe it was simply something she wanted to hear.

The past few days had gone by almost too fast, and, if Emma's unusually quiet behaviour was anything to go by, the blonde was probably somewhat reluctant to see this strange journey come to an end as well. It was almost ridiculous how used to Emma's company Regina had become; nowadays, their little squabbles about nothing amused Regina more than anything, and Emma's teasing comments had long ago lost their power of truly rousing her; the thought of not seeing the other woman ever again made Regina's stomach twist in nervous knots.

"Do you have any idea where he lives?" Emma asked, helping the former Vestal over a particularly rocky spot by offering her hand which Regina gratefully accepted.

"No, but he's a big landowner, so I'm sure people will know of him."

"All right; the first person we run into, we ask."

Somewhere, at the back of her mind, Regina almost wished that the merchant they met on the road towards the city gates hadn't been from around these parts. But, alas, he was, and he knew right away who they were looking for. Apparently, Leopold had a fairly large estate west of the city, and, with a heart that felt heavier and heavier with each step, Regina followed Emma's lead.

The sun had already passed its zenith when they arrived at a small crossroads with a simple wooden sign, indicating that Leopold's estate was at the end of the narrow sand road. For a moment, Regina just stared at it, willing herself to feel some sort of relief for having actually made it.

"Well then," Emma said, trying to smile encouragingly, but somewhat failing at it. "Here we are."

"Indeed." Regina cleared her throat, the thoughts inside her head a complicated mess. Then she remembered the golden bracelet she'd promised Emma, all the way back in Rome. "The bracelet, as a payment."

She fiddled with the lock, but was promptly stopped by Emma's hand on her own. She looked up again, confused.

"I don't want it." Emma shook her head slightly.

"But that was the deal, you-,"

"I'll get by just fine without it." Emma kept her hand on Regina's. "I... I truly wish you'll find happiness, Regina." Emma's eyes were serious. "Because you deserve it."

There was an unexpected lump in the brunette's throat. "Thank you; for everything," she finally managed, attempting to smile. "I... I hope you'll find your way back home."

"You know me, I never lose." Emma let go of Regina's hand and, after it looked like she was actually going to hug the brunette, took a few steps backwards.

"True." Regina nodded and gave a laugh.

They fell silent again, simply staring at each other. Regina didn't want to dwell on the fact that this was probably the last time she would ever see the former gladiator.

"Vergiss mich nicht," Emma suddenly said quietly, in a language Regina didn't recognise.

"What's that?" she studied Emma's face intently, trying to decipher the meaning behind the strange sounding words.

"Nothing." Emma glanced away briefly, a sad smile playing on her lips. "Goodbye, Regina."

Regina tried to look braver than what she felt. "Goodbye...Emma." The name came fairly easily now, she noticed.

With one, final look at the woman who had literally changed her life forever, Regina turned around and headed down the road leading to her former husband. She walked ahead, passing a small well surrounded by brightly coloured heather, and an enormous oak tree that shaded a small part of the road. Reaching the point where the road finally curved slightly to the right, Regina couldn't help glancing over her shoulder one last time.

The crossroads was deserted; Emma wasn't there anymore.


	12. Twelve

**CHAPTER 12**

From her hiding place behind a large cypress, Regina watched as children played in the yard of a large villa. Something akin to regret filled her heart; it was bittersweet to see what she, perhaps, _should've_ been able to give her husband. But, oddly enough, at the same time, she was relieved that it had never happened; that life had taken her in a completely different direction. A man stepped outside and, with a start, Regina realised that she was looking at her former husband. He was obviously older now, with greyer hair and more wrinkled skin, but the general essence of gentleness was still very much present in him. Regina's heart felt heavy in her chest as she watched Leopold scoop up one of the children and spin him around, their laughter filling the air.

A herd of butterflies taking residence at the pit of her stomach, Regina took a tentative step forward, moving away from the security of the cypress. Slowly, she walked towards Leopold who, suddenly, saw her, which nearly caused him to lose his hold on the child.

"Regina?" The look on his face was a mixture of shock and disbelief.

"Leopold," Regina said awkwardly, squeezing her hands in tight fists to keep her fingers from trembling.

"I..." He seemed to be at a loss for words, his mouth hanging open almost comically.

"I'm sorry to barge into your life like this, I... I need your help." It took an enormous amount of effort to admit that, and Regina turned her eyes away bashfully.

"So the rumours are, indeed, true?" Leopold finally managed, lowering the child to the ground again; the boy wrapped his arms around his father's leg and regarded Regina curiously.

"And probably _not_ exaggerated." Regina gave a humourless laugh.

"Regina, you're in quite a bit of trouble."

"That's why I'm here."

"I'm not entirely sure what I can do."

"Maybe you could-,"

It was at that moment that the door of the villa opened and a beautiful brunette woman stepped out to the yard. She frowned slightly at the scene before her and picked up the other child who had immediately run to her.

"Leopold? Is everything all right?" she asked, making her way to stand next to her husband and balancing the little girl on her hip.

Regina swallowed hard, realising that she was obviously looking at Leopold's new wife.

"Tullia, this is...this is Regina."

"Regina? _The_ Regina?" The woman's eyebrows climbed high on her forehead. She, in all likelihood, subconsciously wrapped an arm around her husband in a loving manner.

"I'm sorry to disrupt your peace," Regina offered, suddenly feeling immensely uncomfortable at the situation; the love between Leopold and Tullia was obvious to anyone who bothered to look. Regina certainly noticed, and it was something she had definitely never shared with him when they were married.

"So, you truly did escape your duty." It was said without malice, so Regina forced herself to not take offence.

They all stood in silence for a moment, Regina trying to look anywhere but at the couple in front of her.

"I should help her, Tullia," Leopold said apologetically, looking at his wife.

Regina had never felt more like a third wheel in her life.

"I know." Tullia smiled, tenderly kissing Leopold.

With a sharp intake of breath, Regina took a startled step backwards; she had no right to invade that happiness, to put their safety on the line for harbouring and helping a fugitive. The Romans were supposed to abhor such revolting ideas as love, but, watching the obvious display of emotion before her, Regina only felt jealousy. At that moment, Regina wasn't even entirely sure whatever had possessed her to think that this was a good idea in the first place; not only was it not her place to simply insert herself into Leopold's life again, she didn't particularly want to anyway. Taking a few more steps away from the scene in front of her, it dawned on Regina that no, she most certainly didn't want Leopold to help her, quite simply because what she really, truly, wanted to do was find a place for herself somewhere else, and to keep following Emma until she did. Never mind that Emma was probably outside the city limits by now.

"No, this is wrong." The former Vestal shook her head.

"Regina?" Leopold frowned at Regina's obvious agitation.

"I'm sorry, forget I was ever here," she mumbled. Refusing to panic, Regina turned on her heels and ran.

"Regina!" She heard Leopold call after her, but she didn't even turn to look.

Regina ran out of the gate and along the road, passing the large oak and the well. Glancing once behind her to make sure no one was following her, she ran all the way to the wooden sign with Leopold's name on it, looking anxiously around her. It was only when she spotted the blonde that she, finally, allowed herself to stop. Emma was sitting on a large rock a little ways away, fixing the strapping of her shoe, her golden locks falling on her face. Regina didn't think she had ever seen anything more beautiful in her life.

"Emma!" Regina called out, making the other woman's head snap up. She unhurriedly walked to the blonde, stopping a few feet away from her.

Emma stood up slowly, and they stared at each other in silence.

"I was... I was just taking a break before...moving on," Emma unnecessarily explained, breaking the stillness of the moment. "I thought you were going to talk to your former husband." It was said almost too casually.

Regina took a step forward. "I...I figured I could accompany you just a little bit further."

"Really?" Emma asked, hopeful.

"Yes, I... I don't really want to stay here; it'd be better if I settled down somewhere in the Northern territories," Regina explained. "And I figured I could be of use while we're still so close to Rome." The latter part was a load of crap and they both knew it.

It was Emma who moved first this time, reaching Regina with a few, long strides. She studied the brunette's face for a moment and then, as if satisfied of what she saw, leaned forward, capturing Regina's lips with her own. The reasoning part of her brain died a quick and painless death; Regina kissed Emma back, eagerly. She hadn't realised how much she'd missed this until the sweet taste of the blonde's lips registered with her again; until she could feel the wonderful softness of them. Regina's arms wound up around Emma's neck, urging the other woman to deepen their kiss. She felt Emma's hands at the small of her back, sliding upwards in a soothing manner.

It was Emma who finally pulled back slightly. Regina, with her eyes still closed, could feel the breath of the other woman on her kiss-swollen lips. She tried to make sense of things, of the way her body seemed to automatically react to Emma's touch. She didn't remember kissing Leopold ever feeling like this, like her entire being was in tune with the other person.

"I lied," Emma said quietly, and Regina finally opened her eyes. She furrowed her brow in confusion. "I wasn't taking a break just now. I was wondering how long I could sit here, waiting to see if, for some unfathomable reason, you decided not to stay here and come with me instead." Emma turned her eyes away in embarrassment. "I've grown rather used to you being around."

Slowly, and with slightly trembling fingers, Regina raised her hand and softly cupped Emma's cheek and brought the blonde's gaze back to her. Fleetingly, she wondered what she had done right in her life to deserve the presence of this woman in it.

"Well, since we're apparently sharing, I... I might have been slightly dishonest as well." Emma chuckled at that and leaned into Regina's touch. "I must've gone mad, but I realised that I'd much rather find another place where to live my life. Apparently, in order to do that, I first need to wade through the damn woods and rip my dresses and get twigs in my hair with you."

"It's quite romantic, isn't it?" Emma joked, now grinning widely.

"You're the barbarian, you should know."

"Shut up," Emma murmured, and it wasn't not like Regina could've done anything else, because, soon, she felt lips on her own again. She could get used to this, she startlingly realised, kissing Emma. She sighed into the kiss, thinking that she really ought to put an end to this, because it was hardly appropriate behaviour. But then Emma's tongue swiped across her bottom lip, and she completely lost her train of thought. At that moment, she didn't care about anything else but the woman holding her firmly in her arms.

When they eventually broke apart for the second time, Emma regarded her with something akin to pride. "You're getting pretty good at this," she said slyly.

It dawned on Regina then that this was now a serial occurrence; for some reason, she went about the empire, locking lips with this barbarian at the most ridiculous occasions. The sense of awkwardness Regina remembered feeling after the fire back in Rome came back with a vengeance. She could feel her face burn, her lips still swollen and tingling from the rather mind-blowing kisses. With a self-conscious cough, Regina took a few steps back.

"I..."

"It's all right, Regina. I'm sorry, I..." Emma let her arms fall to her sides, clearly sensing her emotional turmoil. "When you're ready."

"Yes, I-, I don't want Leopold following me, so we should probably...go," Regina said, gesturing towards the road behind her. She wasn't quite able to look at the blonde, but when she finally chanced a quick glance, there was a sympathetic look in Emma's eyes.

"Yes, _we_ should."

From the corner of her eye, Regina saw Emma take a few steadying breaths before she embarked on the road again, pulling Regina behind her.

Much to Regina's relief, Emma didn't address the impromptu make out session—Regina grimaced at the crudeness of it, but there was no other word for what had just occurred—as they made their way away from Leopold's estate and towards the city gates. Regina was, once again, wrestling with the confusing and contradicting feelings raging inside of her, and Emma seemed to understand that. So, instead of pressing the issue, the blonde simply kept stealing glances at the former Vestal and smiling encouragingly, for which Regina was more than grateful. She was absolutely certain that she had done the right thing by choosing Emma instead of Leopold, but the strange frisson that, nowadays, seemed to be a permanent feature between them was still a source of utter bewilderment to Regina.

And then there was the kissing which definitely wasn't something Regina was used to, but, all the same, she apparently couldn't help herself when it came to Emma. Unable to completely dismiss her upbringing, Regina, sombrely, considered the fact that she really shouldn't be, in any way, attracted to a woman of Emma's stature.

"So, what do we do now?" Regina asked, desperate to get her thoughts elsewhere, and earning a sly glance from Emma. She glared at the shameless insinuation. "I mean the journey. Where are we headed?"

Emma chuckled. "We need more supplies. Salt, in case I have luck in hunting, and we have meat to preserve. Oh, and horses; we're going to get horses as it's faster travel."

"All right."

"But we'll have to wait till morning, it's getting late."

"Don't tell me I need to spend another night in a tavern," Regina said, displeased, as she realised that the sun would be setting quite soon.

"It's either that, or a tent in the woods; your choice." Emma shrugged.

"Fine, a tavern." Regina's shoulders sagged in defeat.

"You can still turn back, you know," Emma said quietly, rubbing her neck in a nervous manner, her head bowed.

The hard punch to the shoulder obviously came as a surprise, because Emma actually yelped. "Gods, Regina! What was that for?"

"Just shut up."

"Is that how it's going to be from now on?"

Another punch.

"Regina!"

"Just take me to that god-awful tavern, I'm tired."

"Yes, your Highness."

That time, Emma was prepared and sidestepped the swing of Regina's fist with ease. Neither of them missed the glimmer of joy in each other's eyes.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

When Regina woke up the next morning—in yet another tavern, Emma's arms securely around her—a feeling of such relief filled her that she thought she might burst at the seams. Imposing herself upon Leopold would have been the biggest mistake of her life, and, although she still didn't know where she was actually going to end up, she knew that her future definitely wasn't in Milan.

As the sun slowly crept over the horizon, the women quickly made their way to the city centre for more supplies. Milan was a bustling city, with artisans and bakers, bathhouses and several amphitheatres; they would easily find everything they needed in order to continue their journey northwards.

"Let's get the horses first," Emma suggested as they approached a local blacksmith who was just shoeing a horse. They let him finish his job before interrupting.

"How much for two of your finest steeds?" Emma asked, not bothered in the slightest when the blacksmith eyed her somewhat disparagingly.

"Not sure you can afford one, lady."

"Regina, give me your bracelet," Emma muttered, and, with only a tiny pang of regret, Regina handed it over.

Emma placed the piece of jewellery on the table between them. "This ought to cover it."

The blacksmith's eyes widened as his eyes landed on the gold. "Horses, right away, Ma'am."

"Oh, and throw in the saddles and saddlebags as well, all the works."

"Certainly."

"We'll be back in an hour." Emma snatched the bracelet back before the man could reach for it. "You'll get your payment then."

With that, she turned around and pulled Regina along with her.

"Can we trust him?" Regina asked, stealing a backward glance at the blacksmith who was staring after them, a perplexed look plastered on his face.

"For that bracelet? He'll do _anything_."

A few streets over, the women bumped into several bakers with freshly baked bread on offer, and the very next one hosted the shops of several artisans. With a promise to meet at the agreed spot after a little while, they both went their separate ways in search of clothes and, in Emma's case, a new set of arrows also.

Regina looked over the various cloaks and dresses on display, and, eventually, decided to get one of each. It could get fairly cold where they were headed, especially if winter happened to come early this year; she needed to be prepared. As an afterthought, she threw in a sewing kit as well. Satisfied with her purchases, she took the bundle the artisan handed her and began wading her way through the throng of people doing their daily shopping, hunting for the best prices.

"Ugh, Rome had better crowd control," Regina muttered, annoyed, as the walk seemed to take forever. She sighed in relief when she got rid of the worst of the crowds.

She could already see the shop in front of which she was supposed to meet Emma, when a distantly familiar voice behind her stopped Regina in her tracks.

"Vestal Regina!"

Instinctively turning around, Regina's breath got caught in her throat when she realised that she was looking into the eyes of no other than Gaius Aurelius, her mother's friend and ally. The last time she'd had the displeasure of seeing him had been during Emma's last battle at the arena.

"I'm-, I'm sorry. You must have me confused with someone else," she managed, turning around in a panicked attempt to flee the situation.

Regina knew Aurelius wouldn't be fooled for a second, and, as soon as she turned to go, her upper arm was gripped almost forcefully.

"Do you take me for a fool?" His hold of her arm tightened. "They have been looking all over for you, you traitor!"

People were starting to look at them curiously, wondering about the commotion in the middle of the street.

"Let go of me," Regina said with her most authoritative voice, and, although she was definitely not a Vestal anymore, she saw Aurelius automatically falter.

He, however, recovered quickly.

"No."

"I said, _let go of me_. Don't you know who I am?"

"Oh, I know exactly who you are, Priestess..." Aurelius' tone was mocking. "...which is, precisely, why I'm taking you back to Rome where you will face the consequences of your actions." Pure loathing oozing off him in waves, he began dragging the former Vestal in the opposite direction.

"Excuse me, she told you to let go of her! What's going on here?" Regina had never been so happy to hear Emma's voice.

Surprised by the new disruption, Aurelius shifted his gaze to Emma, and his eyes widened almost comically. "You!"

"Do I know you?" Emma narrowed her eyes.

"No, but I know you, Gladiator," Aurelius said with obvious repulsion. "Quite a trick you pulled."

"I see." That was all Emma, apparently, needed in order to understand the situation. She tilted her head to the side in an outright condescending manner.

Aurelius took a threatening step forward. "More the merrier; seems like I'm going to haul your backside back to Rome as well. You'll be promptly executed for your unprecedented disobedience of your superiors."

"Oh, really?" Emma chuckled.

"Really. You and this...this _whore_."

Evidently, that was stepping over some sort of a line for Emma, because the next thing Regina knew, Emma's closed fist made contact with Aurelius' nose. _Hard_. A loud crack was heard, and the man dropped to the ground with a thump, nose bloodied.

"You fucking bastard," Emma said through gritted teeth.

Before the blonde could injure the poor man more, Regina grasped her arm. "Emma."

"The nerve of that man." Emma was fuming.

"Emma, we need to go."

There were gasps and surprised yells in the crowd, and in the following clamour, Regina saw Emma nod. The blonde grabbed Regina's hand and pulled her away from the situation. The last thing she saw before rounding a corner was Aurelius' retinue gathering around their fallen master, demanding to know what had befallen him.

"Come on, we need to get to the horses," Emma said over her shoulder, pulling Regina ahead with her.

They ran all the way to the blacksmith where their newly bought horses were luckily already waiting. Without a word, Emma tossed the golden bracelet to the still bewildered man and grabbed the reins. She handed the other pair to Regina.

"You do know how to ride, right?" Emma asked suddenly, frowning.

Regina didn't think that even deserved a reply, and, with a roll of her eyes, she hoisted herself up on the saddle with ease. Emma nodded approvingly and did the same. Within no time, they were on their way, racing away from the city and from the unfortunate link to a life they had both left behind.

They had been riding for several leagues when Regina noticed the oddly emotionless look on Emma's face. She didn't even have time to comment on it before Emma pulled on the reins, effectively bringing her horse to a stop. Dismounting quickly, the blonde strode away from Regina, running her hands through her hair in obvious distress. Puzzled by Emma's conduct, Regina hopped off her horse as well and slowly approached the clearly upset woman.

"What is it?" Regina asked when she was standing only a few feet away from the other woman.

"They...they'll know that I deceived them now. Gold and the emperor, they'll know. They'll...my friends...it's treason, and it's all my fault," Emma began rambling, all the while pacing restlessly back and forth.

"Emma," Regina tried to cut through the blonde's apparently endless monologue, but with no avail.

"They'll know Augustus and everyone helped me, they'll be executed, and I can't..."

"Emma!" Regina said more forcefully, walking to the blonde and cupping the side of her face, so that she could look her straight in the eye.

Emma stopped dead in her tracks, an utterly hopeless look on her face.

"Listen to me very carefully," Regina began, her voice level and assertive. "It is not your fault. They helped you willingly, it was their plan; they knew you could get caught, which would obviously implicate them as well. Emma, they knew what they were getting into, and you are not responsible for that." She brushed her thumb over Emma's cheek, until she realised how incredibly intimate the gesture was and withdrew her hand.

Emma swallowed, still looking uncertain. Finally, she closed her eyes and sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

"I know. I know that." She gave a nod, tiredly rubbing the bridge of her nose.

As they stood in silence for a moment, Regina saw that there was blood and an angry, red bruise on the knuckles of Emma's right hand. With mirth, her mind flashed back to earlier when Emma had, rather unceremoniously, knocked out one of the Roman elite's finest.

"Your hand is bleeding," Regina said, reaching for it. "Let me look at it."

"It's fine."

"Don't argue with me."

Regina poured water from a flagon and cleaned the wound, carefully wiping away the blood. "I can't believe you took down Aurelius."

"Of course I did, he had his hands on you."

"Nevertheless, that was a really stupid thing to do."

"You're welcome."

"I just..." Regina shook her head. "No one's ever done that before."

"What? Punched an aristocrat in the face?" Emma grimaced.

"No, fought for me."

"I will always fight for you," Emma said without missing a beat, and Regina actually believed it.

The brunette bowed her head, trying to hide the pleased blush colouring her cheeks. Ripping a piece from the fabric of her dress, Regina tied it around Emma's hand as a bandage.

"Ready to continue?" she asked once she was done, admiring her work with satisfaction.

"Yes." Emma nodded. "Thank you," she then added quietly, carefully flexing the fingers of her injured hand. "I don't know what came over me."

"Apparently, even the mighty gladiators need to lose it every once in a while."

"Very funny." Emma stuck her tongue out at Regina and pulled herself up on the saddle again. "It won't happen again."

"We'll see," Regina muttered under her breath as she gave her horse a nudge, and they were on their way again. In fact, it felt rather nice to, for once, be the level-headed one of the two.

It was as if Emma had needed the breakdown, that one moment of weakness, to get her head back in the game. Because the blonde's mood was significantly brighter afterwards as she was clearly at peace with herself again and content at having Regina with her. The former Vestal found the mood quite infectious. Besides, the further they got from Milan, the more convinced Regina was that she had made the right decision; she actually wanted to be there, to keep following Emma. Regina studied the woman riding next to her, Emma's blonde hair flowing in the air, the sun making it shine almost golden. Regina felt it then, despite the obvious danger they were in, the small skip of her heart and the warmth that filled her whenever she looked at Emma.

_Contentment._

Freedom and contentment; there was an unexpected gasp as Regina realised that, in a sense, what she had spent her entire life searching for in the high society of Rome, she had found with a barbarian gladiator who also happened to be a woman. And that, more than anything, both thrilled and scared her.

"You okay?" Emma asked, frowning, when she saw the odd look on Regina's face.

"Yes." Regina cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm fine." She smiled a genuine smile, earning one in return from the blonde.

Suddenly, Emma's grin turned mischievous.

"What?" Regina asked, not liking the look one bit.

"You're pretty good on that horse."

Regina wasn't fooled for a second. "What are you on about?"

"I bet I can ride faster than you."

Regina actually scoffed. "Impossible."

"Want to wager on that?"

"What are you proposing?"

"The last one who reaches the patch of trees over there will collect the firewood every night for the next week."

They both hated the tedious task of gathering the wood for the fire, and the job, more often than not, fell on Emma.

"Okay. But-." Regina wasn't at all prepared for Emma giving her horse a sharp nudge with her heels and galloping down the hill before the brunette had a chance to realise what was happening.

"Hey!" Regina yelled. "You're like a goddamn twelve-year-old!" she seethed and raced after the blonde, her face flushed with annoyance, but her heart still feeling lighter than ever.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"This Aurelius guy, is he going to be a problem?" Emma asked, carrying an armful of firewood to the centre of the campsite.

Emma had lost the horse race with a bigger margin than she probably wanted to admit, but it had definitely made Regina's day. With a mocking and unimpressed smile, Emma dropped her haul on the ground and began building a fire, while Regina spread out the blankets. The situation filled Regina with a strange feeling of normalcy; it was a routine by now, how they were essentially building a home for themselves every night.

"Without a doubt." Regina sighed. "I mean, I want to trust that Leopold won't say anything, but Aurelius, he is fairly high up in the Roman nobility, and he is definitely going to inform everyone. Including the nearest legion in the area, I'm sure."

"Perfect." Emma grimaced, now finished with the wood and trying to kindle the fire.

"What are we going to do?" Regina asked and sat down on the blankets, impatiently waiting to feel the warmth of the flames.

The dry hay Emma had piled up in the wood pile finally caught fire, and the blonde softly blew into it, making sure that the tiny flames didn't go out. Lips pursed, she stared at the slowly growing blaze, clearly pondering their options.

"We're going directly over the Alps," she finally stated, settling down next to Regina.

"What? Are you insane?" Regina exclaimed, eyes widening. "We will never make it!"

"You said it yourself, Regina; Aurelius is going to inform everyone of our whereabouts. All of Milan and the Northern territories are going to be after us."

It was true; an insubordinate Vestal was a great risk to the entire empire whose longevity depended on the eternal fire and the balance among its guardians. There was nothing the emperor wanted more than to catch the insubordinate Vestal and bring her justice, so that the right order of things could be restored.

"Can't we go by sea instead? That way, we could get directly to Gaul."

"That's precisely what they expect us to do. It's the easiest route, which is why we need to do the unexpected."

As she finally felt the warmth of the fire on her skin, Regina admitted that Emma did have a point. She sighed in resignation.

"I'm not dressed to cross the mountains, though." She eyed the green dress she had bought herself what, at this point, seemed like months ago.

"That's why we'll make a quick stop at Biella before we start climbing; I need a new cloak as well." Emma glanced at the woman sitting next to her. "It's going to be tough, but we can do it. _You_ can do it."

"We'll see," Regina replied, running a hand through her hair uncertainly. She was exhausted, tired of running and being pursued. And, yet, there were no alternative scenarios where she would come out of the ordeal alive.

"I know you can. You are so much more resilient than you give yourself credit for."

Regina startled at that, remembering the moment underneath the olive tree when her father had said the exact same words to her. She watched Emma in awe, once again struck by the immediate sparks that seemed to bubble just under the surface when they were close to each other. As she saw the absolute trust Emma bestowed upon her, a sense of safety that Regina had never truly experienced before fell over her; in a move utterly unlike her, Regina leaned her head to rest on Emma's shoulder. An arm wrapped around her, and Regina allowed herself a moment of weakness to revel in the security of Emma's presence in her life.

It was just getting harder and harder to ignore the way her heart skipped a beat whenever Emma just looked at her; how her skin tingled whenever Emma touched her. Or, how she, herself, wanted nothing more than to draw Emma to her and never, ever let go.


	13. Thirteen

**CHAPTER 13**

Emma and Regina reached Biella the next day and quickly made the necessary preparations for the upcoming, and rather daunting, leg of their journey. The small town lay in the foothills of the Alps, and they decided to sell their horses and continue the trek on foot, since the terrain would eventually get tricky for the horses anyway. This way, they would save time. From the local marketplace, they, once again, got a new set of clothes (for colder weather this time; everything from proper boots to thick scarves), more arrows for Emma, and food for the road. A couple of hours before sundown, the women headed out of town again, to make sure they were as far away from settlement as possible if anyone happened to ride into town in search for them.

They found a suitable spot in the woods for a campsite and did their evening rituals of setting up a tent and making a fire. Once the fire roared, Emma sat down next to Regina on the blankets, like so many times before, and handed a piece of bread to the brunette. They ate in comfortable silence, both seemingly deep in thought.

As Emma threw more wood into the fire, Regina remembered that she had bought something else, besides clothes, during their unfortunate shopping trip in Milan. She reached into her saddle bag and pulled out a small pouch that contained the sewing equipment. Earlier, Regina had noticed a small hole in her otherwise good cloak, so repairing the damage seemed like the most reasonable option.

"What's that?" Emma asked, curiously watching Regina's movements.

The brunette looked at her as if she had just asked what the round, glowing thing in the sky was. "A sewing kit; don't tell me you've never held a needle."

"My life has been more about swords and arrows, remember?"

"Unbelievable." Regina shook her head and put the thread through the eye of the needle.

Even with the precise work Regina was doing, it didn't take her long to fix the tear. With satisfaction, she eyed the now practically invisible imperfection in the fabric.

"It doesn't look that difficult," Emma mused. Her eyes hadn't left Regina's hands since the brunette began working.

"Would you like to try?" Regina asked sweetly. "I noticed already before Milan that you have a tear in that god-awful tunica of yours."

"Okay." Emma accepted the challenged. "I mean, how hard can it be?" she muttered as she took the needle and thread from Regina.

Countless slips and curse words later, Emma regarded the outcome of her handiwork. She pursed her lips in contemplation and looked up at Regina.

"Well," the blonde began, "I think it's safe to say that this is the goddamn ugliest thing I have ever seen."

Emma burst out laughing then, and Regina found herself grinning—albeit somewhat smugly—as well. If anything, Emma had managed to make the hole in her tunica bigger; the thread was all messed up in a million knots.

"Maybe you should leave the sewing to me from now on," Regina stated and snatched the piece of clothing from Emma's hands. With quick movements, she removed Emma's feeble attempts at repairing the tear and got to work.

"Where did you learn how to do that?" Emma asked, once more looking almost spellbound by Regina's certain movements.

"It's the only thing my mother ever taught me," Regina said, not looking up from the work. "She thought that every proper woman ought to know how to sew."

"I don't know how to sew," Emma noted.

"Indeed."

"Hey!" Emma huffed, offended.

"If I wanted to learn something, I usually needed to take the initiative and learn it by myself." Regina shrugged. "I even taught myself how to pick locks."

"Hold on." Emma feigned shock. "Our eminent Vestal is able to pick locks like a common thief?"

"Former Vestal," Regina corrected, her eyes sparkling despite the small pang of guilt that the thought of her former life brought about. "And yes, there were times when I needed to get in and out of the house without anyone noticing."

"You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"You have no idea," Regina muttered. "Here," she then said, handing the tunic back to the blonde.

Emma took the piece of clothing and admired the brilliant work. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Oh, I got you something, from Biella," Emma suddenly said, folding the tunic and putting it away. Taking her own saddle bag, she rummaged through it and eventually produced a small, but definitely lethal-looking, dagger.

"What's this?" Regina asked, dumbfounded, as she accepted the weapon. Emma raised her eyebrow meaningfully, making Regina roll her eyes. "I mean, I know what it is, but why are you giving me one?"

"For protection; we've come incredibly far, but just because we're out of Rome's backyard doesn't mean we're safe. The whole brouhaha with Aurelius just proved it, so, just in case, I want you to be armed." Emma explained.

"I don't know how to use this."

"The sharp end goes into a person," Emma quipped, earning another stern look from the brunette. "Seriously, most times, you only need to wound in order to get away. I want you to carry the dagger on you whenever we're on the move."

"Okay." Regina studied the edged weapon with slight disdain, but hid it in her own saddle bag anyway. "It's just that I've never actually killed a person. I mean, not by my own hand," she admitted.

"What do you mean?"

"Just because I was a respected Vestal doesn't mean that I was worthy of it; I've done things, mostly for my mother, many would not approve. People have been marched to the arena to be eaten by lions because of something I have said. Vestal's word, remember, it trumps nearly everyone else's. It's not something I'm proud of." Regina stared at the fire, overcome by memories of a life long gone now.

"We do what we have to in order to survive," Emma stated.

"Don't you ever regret anything?"

"If I allowed myself to think like that, every minute of every day," Emma admitted. "But, really, what's the point in regretting things, since my life, with the choices I have made, has brought me here, to this moment?"

"Emma, you're on the run, trekking your way through the empire, hiding from the emperor of all people. Your companion is a now former Vestal who fled her duty, and, simply by being in this moment, we are both committing treason," Regina summarised sarcastically.

"And yet, I wouldn't change a thing." It was said with such certainty that Regina actually swallowed

Regina met Emma's eyes, and the pull towards the other woman was instantaneous; it was there, again, that peculiar frisson between them. They hadn't talked about what happened in Milan; afterwards, per Regina's wishes, they never really seemed to talk about the spur-of-the-moment expressions of emotion – not that Regina would have known what to say, anyway. She didn't know what she was doing with the blonde; she only knew that Emma's presence alone caused her to do things she would never normally do. She would never let her guard down in such a manner with anyone else. But, then again, Emma had zigzagged her way through Regina's defences since the beginning, so this really shouldn't have been such a surprise to her.

"What are we doing?" she asked, in a burst of courage, watching the flames dance in Emma's eyes.

"What do you mean?" Emma asked quietly, tilting her head to the side.

"I mean that we share random moments of utter indecency which are just wrong on so many levels. And, then, you look at me like the way you're doing now and... What are we doing?" She wasn't quite able to tear her eyes away from the blonde.

"Does it matter?"

"It's just...a Vestal isn't supposed to... _I_ am not supposed to feel..." Frustrated, Regina pinched the bridge of her nose. "You must have put a curse on me, or something, because I don't think I recognise myself anymore."

"A curse?" Emma chuckled.

"This, whatever this is, it confuses me." Regina turned to the fire again.

"How does it confuse you?"

Regina snorted. "I'm not really good at this."

"What's that, then?"

"Talking about how I feel. In case you haven't noticed by now, I don't know how to interact with people very well." Just admitting that took effort.

"I think we've done quite well so far," Emma said. "Just try it this way: tell me, what do you want from me?"

"I don't know, that's the problem." Regina was starting to panic, being too far out of her comfort zone with the present line of questioning.

"I think you do." It was said quietly, and when Regina dared to glance at Emma again, there was an understanding look in her eyes. The brunette's hand trembled when Emma reached for it, taking it securely in her own.

"No, I... This is just quite inappropriate," she blurted, trying to free her hand, but Emma held on tighter. Her heart was beating so rapidly and loudly that she was sure Emma could hear it.

"You say that about a lot of things I do," Emma said, amused.

"Please, Emma," Regina pleaded, desperately now.

Slowly, Emma raised her other hand and brushed a stray lock of brown hair away from Regina's eyes and tucked it behind her ear. Regina inhaled raggedly, feeling her skin inexplicably burn where Emma touched it.

"Tell me," Emma told her again softly.

"I... No, it doesn't make any sense." Regina shook her head slowly.

Emma leaned closer, her lips near the brunette's ear now, and whispered: "Then show me."

Something snapped inside of her; Regina just couldn't take it anymore, couldn't take the sparks, the closeness of the other woman driving her crazy. She turned her head quickly and captured Emma's lips with her own in a desperate kiss, leaping over the invisible line they had been dancing on for the better part of their friendship. Just like before, Regina felt her entire being hum and come to life. Passion coursed through her veins, silencing even the last feeble protests her brain was trying to voice. Emma's arm wrapped around her midsection, and she felt herself gently being lowered down on the blankets.

Emma's body pressed deliciously against Regina's own, moulding them together. The brunette felt her skin burn wherever Emma touched her, that familiar tingling sensation now slowly spreading throughout her entire body. Lips caressed lips, tongues sliding hotly against each other. Regina felt a hand slowly slide up her thigh, bringing the hem of her dress along with it, while she buried her own in Emma's thick mane. Emma's hand reached her hip and stopped there; the blonde pulled back a little, her chest heaving in sync with Regina's. Emma's eyes were black, lustful, and Regina swallowed at the sight.

"You know, in Rome, this would get me executed," Regina managed, her voice sounding strange to her own ears.

"Do you want me to stop?" Emma asked breathlessly, forever being her chivalrous self.

"Does it look like I'm suffering?" Regina managed, her breath hitching when Emma's fingers traced down her now naked thigh. She was completely floored by her body's reaction to simply being this near to the other woman.

"Okay." Emma smiled. "But you only need to say the word and I will."

Regina responded by pulling Emma forcefully against her, reattaching their lips together. She couldn't have stopped, even if she had wanted to; her entire being seemed to desperately crave the other woman's touch. Emma's wandering hand continued its journey up Regina's body, inching upwards with a maddeningly slow pace. She finally reached the underside of the brunette's breast, at which point, Regina ran out of patience and grabbed Emma's hand, moving it directly on the goal. Regina moaned into the kiss, her nipple hardening instantly at the sensation.

Massaging the soft flesh beneath her palm, Emma tore her mouth away from Regina's and began a low descent with her lips, first along her jaw and then down the column of her neck. Emma licked a particularly sensitive spot just above her collarbone, and Regina couldn't help the small moan that escaped her lips; she couldn't quite believe she was being so expressive, that she could do nothing to control it. Clearly encouraged by the reaction, Emma went lower still, until she, unexpectedly, halted her movements.

"Emma?" Regina asked, confused, and unable to decipher the strange look on the blonde's features.

Slowly, Emma raised her hand, sliding the fabric of Regina's dress aside; she carefully pulled on a silver chain that hung around the former Vestal's neck. Regina watched a wide range of emotions pass over Emma's face when the blonde saw the small coin dangle from the chain, the familiar picture of a swan gleaming in the light created by the flames.

"You... You said you lost it," Emma whispered, finally able to look away from the pendant; the intensity in her eyes made Regina shiver.

"I didn't." Regina shook her head, unable to stop her cheeks from flushing at getting caught.

With one, final look at the necklace, Emma's lips were suddenly above Regina's again. Emma kissed her with such passion that Regina thought she would lose herself in the kiss completely. A tongue slipped into her mouth, and she welcomed it eagerly, while a hand trailed over her breast and then slid down to her stomach, causing the muscles there to contract in anticipation; though, in anticipation of what, she wasn't entirely sure. It had never felt like this with Leopold; she had never felt her body respond in this manner to another person's touch. Somewhere, from the depths of her mind, the brunette recalled Emma telling her that, as lovers, gladiators were ravenous beasts. It wasn't that hard to believe, because the desire Emma clearly had for her left Regina breathless. The ardour in Emma's touch, her kisses, her looks; it was absolute. She made Regina feel like nothing else in the world existed but her.

Emma's hand slid lower still, reaching the apex of Regina's thighs and inching closer to the wetness that the brunette could feel had pooled there; she felt her cheeks colour when she realised how obvious her own desire for the other woman was. It was then that Regina suddenly grabbed Emma's hand, effectively stopping her advancement.

"What are you doing?" Regina asked, suddenly uncertain. Emma's breath caressed her lips.

"I'm showing you why this...what's between us...why it's definitely not indecent." Emma kissed her soothingly. "Trust me."

Slowly, Regina let go and felt Emma's hand resume its earlier path. She nearly made a further comment, but then the hand between her thighs slipped past her undergarments and reached its destination, and she suddenly forgot everything, herself included. Her back arched off the blankets as Emma's fingers slowly parted her, and when two of them slipped inside, Regina was certain she would die on the spot.

"Gods!" she moaned and squeezed her eyes shut as Emma slipped out and then back again, a little faster this time, again and again. She turned her head to the side, and nails dug into Emma's back, urging the other woman to continue her ministrations.

"Regina, look at me," Emma suggested gently, momentarily stalling her movements.

Regina groaned in frustration, but attempted to comply. Her chest rising and falling erratically, she forced herself to open her eyes and concentrate on the woman hovering above her.

Slowly, Emma resumed her pace again, looking deeply into Regina's eyes. Fleetingly, the brunette noted that Emma really had the greenest eyes she had ever seen. But then the other woman bent her fingers, just a little, causing a particularly sweet jolt to go through her, and Regina lost her train of thought again. Her mouth fell open slightly as she gasped for air.

"You are so incredibly beautiful, Regina," Emma whispered, her gaze still locked on Regina's. "You are like a goddess that should be worshipped." She emphasised her point by angling her palm upwards, just slightly, brushing against Regina's most sensitive spot. The brunette very nearly spontaneously combusted at the sensation, struggling to keep her focus on Emma, while her entire body felt like it was on fire.

Many people had called Regina beautiful, the fairest of the all, during her lifetime, but no one, absolutely no one, had ever made her believe it – not until Emma, at this very moment. The blonde was regarding her with such fiery passion that Regina suddenly felt something profound shift within her. Cradling Emma's head between her hands, Regina pulled the woman urgently to her, kissing her more meaningfully than ever before. It dawned on her, then, that she wanted to be able to kiss Emma forever, the thought raising a torrent of emotions within her. The tears in her eyes went unnoticed, until one slid down her cheek and Emma lovingly kissed it away. Before, showing such weakness would've repulsed Regina, but now she didn't even care that Emma was obviously skilled at conjuring forth such reprehensible behaviour in her.

"You are magnificent," Emma whispered in her ear, finding that sweet spot again with wonderful precision, and causing the brunette's breath to hitch, her eyes involuntarily closing again.

Regina felt like she was flying, each thrust of Emma's hand pulling her higher and higher. She could sense something intense build inside of her, radiating through her entire being, until, suddenly, her back arched off the ground, waves of indescribable pleasure washing over her. She wasn't sure if she actually called out Emma's name, or if she just imagined it, but she felt the blonde hold her close, her hand continuing to move in sync with the waves until the brunette sank back to the bed, utterly spent.

Breathing heavily, Regina felt Emma withdraw her hand and place small kisses on her collarbone and up her neck. When she finally opened her eyes again, Emma was regarding her with an affectionate smile on her face. The blonde reached out and brushed a lock of matted hair off Regina's forehead.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, with only a hint of worry.

Regina nodded, not entirely trusting her voice just yet. She cleared her throat sheepishly. "I...I never knew that..." She didn't know how to finish, turning her head to the side in slight embarrassment. It was as if her life had been forever changed just now, and she felt emotionally raw and vulnerable – something that Regina still had trouble adjusting to.

Emma's hand moved from her temple to her cheek, urging Regina to look at her again. When she did, there was no amusement, no teasing or pity, in Emma's eyes. Instead, the blonde regarded her with nothing but warmth and understanding.

"I know," she said simply, her thumb lovingly stroking Regina's cheek.

The brunette swallowed, trying to control all the emotions still storming inside of her, each one stronger than the last. It was almost getting to be too much, when Emma suddenly grinned wickedly.

"But tell me," she began, her eyes sparkling, "was that too indecent for you?" She emphasised the question by running a finger up Regina's still bare thigh.

Relieved by the change of topic, Regina found enough courage to run her own hand down Emma's back. She grabbed the blonde's backside through her trousers. "It was completely and utterly indecent," she assessed, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Huh," Emma uttered, pursing her lips in mock contemplation. "Well, it seems that I need to give another demonstration then, aim for a better result."

Regina's eye roll was cut short when Emma's enthusiastic lips landed on hers again, insistent on showing her just how eagerly she intended to better her results.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

When Regina woke up, it was still early, the sun only barely peeking over the horizon. It was the steady beating of a heart under her ear that she became aware of first; and as Regina felt strong arms around her, keeping her close to the body beneath her, the events of the previous night flashed through her mind. She waited for the inevitable feeling of panic to wash over her, but it never came. There was no embarrassment, no apprehension over what had occurred, only the peculiar sense of rightness and contentment. Wrapping her own arm tighter around Emma's waist, Regina buried her face into the blonde's neck and tried not to analyse it all too closely. But, she did admit to herself that, until now, she'd had no idea how different it could be when she actually wanted to be with someone like this.

She felt... _good_.

Absentmindedly, Regina ran her finger down Emma's bare side, over her hip and down her thigh, realising that she had never really been this close to another person before. The skin beneath her fingertips was nearly flawless, not at all like one would expect of a warrior. She was so focused on the smoothness of Emma that she didn't realise the blonde had stirred, until a hand began making soothing circles on her back. Regina felt Emma kiss the top of her head.

"Morning," Emma mumbled, stretching slightly. She then placed a finger under Regina's chin, urging the brunette to look at her. "Everything okay?"

It amazed Regina how okay she actually was. Swallowing, she nodded. "Everything's good."

Grinning, Emma suddenly flipped them over, leaning over Regina and crushing their lips together once more. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this," she whispered when they finally parted for air, noses still touching.

"Is that so?" Regina asked, feeling just a little bit smug over Emma's confession.

"Yes." Emma drove the point home by kissing down Regina's neck, once more licking that particularly sensitive spot she'd discovered earlier. "Ever since I first saw you, when I saved your life, I've felt this...pull between us."

"You did not save my life," Regina automatically defended, earning a look from the blonde that wasn't terribly impressed. "Okay, I could have possibly hurt myself, but at no point was I actually in mortal danger."

"Fine, I'll take that." Emma shook her head, amused, and leaned back slightly.

"So, what's going to happen now?" Regina asked, forcing herself to think about the road ahead of them as the sun kept climbing higher. "In terms of this ridiculous trek, I mean," she then specified, because, at the moment, she most definitely didn't have the energy to start scrutinising what this strange thing between them was. The memory of how intensely she had felt everything the night before still overwhelmed her.

"Now...now we head for the Alps, as planned."

"Are we seriously going to do that?" Regina asked, the task ahead of them filling her with nothing but trepidation.

"We have to. By now, the news of your disappearance, and our approximate location, must have reached most of the Northern territories, thanks to Aurelius. Like I've said, they probably expect us to take the coastal route which is easier but a whole lot longer. It won't be easy, but we should be able to cross the mountains before winter, make a quick stop at Geneva, and be in Gaul before winter," Emma explained.

"And what happens in Gaul?"

"We'll find shelter, some place where we can wait out the winter months. There's no use in going forward before spring."

"And how do you know we'll find a place?" Regina was still apprehensive about the plan. "What if someone finds us wherever we'll be?"

"That's always a possibility." Emma sighed. "But we'll be like sitting ducks if we come across the wrong people while wading through the cold and the snow."

"I suppose." Regina gently pushed Emma aside and sat up, reaching for her undershirt.

"Regina, you won't have to run forever," Emma said, knowing exactly what Regina was thinking.

Emma leaned up on her elbow, her hand covering Regina's, and continued: "We'll find a place for you where you can live your life without constantly dreading someone finding out about your identity."

"Yeah." Regina smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Pulling her hand free after a while, she cleared her throat somewhat awkwardly. "We should probably head out, shouldn't we? The whole of Milan is probably after us."

Emma eyed the brunette for a moment, as if wondering whether she should press the issue or not, but, much to Regina's relief, she let it be. Nodding curtly, she got up as well and dressed.

It didn't take them long to reach a point where the steepness of the terrain became much more pronounced. Regina could also feel it in her body; walking was beginning to be fairly laborious, every step taking more and more energy out of her. As they reached their first campsite after the start of the climb, the brunette felt like simply lying down on the ground and sleeping for an eternity. In fact, as soon as she had lain down in the tent Emma had, once again, built for them, sleep claimed her in an instant; she even missed the familiar feeling of the other woman's arms wrap around her.

The following days went by in a similar manner; Emma relentlessly pushing them forward, so that the winter wouldn't surprise them halfway. The air had already cooled down significantly, and not only because they were now higher up; autumn was upon them, and it was only a matter of time before the temperatures would start dropping for good.

As for what had occurred after Biella, neither of them really ever addressed it. Just as always, they were both more comfortable relying on actions, rather than talking about it; which is why Regina usually found herself waking up in the blonde's arms, without the need to specify what it was exactly that they were doing. Emma made her feel good; in her life, Regina had never before experienced such sensations and sense of completeness that the blonde's touch conjured forth in her, and she simply wanted to revel in the feeling and ignore what it all, perhaps, might mean.

_Vestals don't feel anything_ , Regina kept reminding herself.

The small voice at the back of her head argued that, first of all, she most certainly couldn't associate herself with the Vestals anymore; and, secondly, that to actually _feel_ something might not be as terrible as the Roman society had made her believe. But Regina refused to acknowledge those annoying whispers and, instead, mentally squashed them. Besides, she would part ways with Emma shortly after the upcoming winter anyway, as soon as she found a suitable place to settle in; there was no reason to make this any more complicated than it already was.


	14. Fourteen

**CHAPTER 14**

Climbing over a huge mountain range was hard, Regina could attest to that; how in the world Hannibal had managed it with an entire army, she couldn't even fathom. The higher they climbed, the more challenging the circumstances became. Although they were following one of the few passes—crossing routes that consisted of depressions in the mountains—the task at hand was nothing short of harrowing.

After the first week, Regina could feel her right foot starting to protest, and, at the end of a particularly long day of strenuous climbing, the pain was beginning to be almost unbearable; she was trying to ungraciously hobble after Emma without attracting too much attention to the painful state she was in. By the time they found a suitable place for a camp, in the shade of a large boulder, walking was nearly excruciating to her.

"What's wrong with your foot?" Emma asked as she easily saw Regina trying to hide her obvious limp.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

"Cut the crap, Regina. Let me look at it."

"I said I'm fine!"

"Regina, so help me Jupiter, if you won't let me take a look, you'll sleep outside the tent tonight."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me."

Reluctantly, Regina sat down with an indignant sigh and carefully removed her boot; it stung, and she involuntarily flinched at the pain. Emma sat opposite her and gently took the foot in her lap, closely inspecting the damage. There were several blisters and small cuts from sharp rocks.

"Regina, why didn't you say anything?" Emma looked up disapprovingly.

"It wasn't that bad," the brunette explained flatly, wincing when Emma probed a particularly sore cut. "Besides, I'm the one slowing us down already."

"If we leave these untreated, soon, you won't be able to walk at all," Emma admonished, taking a small piece of cloth and soaking it in water and vinegar – vinegar that she had, apparently, acquired from Biella for this very purpose. "This will sting a little," she warned, carefully wiping the cuts clean.

Regina sucked in her breath sharply as the cloth made contact with damaged skin.

"Sorry," Emma muttered. "We'll bandage these in the morning and take it easy tomorrow."

"It's honestly not the end of the world," Regina grunted, grimacing as Emma moved to yet another cut.

"Why is it so difficult for you to admit that you might need some help?" the blonde asked, glancing briefly at the other woman.

Regina only looked away, bitter and unpleasant memories flooding her brain.

"It's your mother, isn't it?" Emma asked softly, gesturing Regina to show her the other foot as well. "She didn't allow any so-called weaknesses, did she?"

"She was quite demanding," Regina ground out; her feet actually felt a whole lot better after Emma's ministrations.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that with me," the former gladiator said, now finished with the task. "Asking for help doesn't make you weak, not in my eyes. Then again, not asking for help when you really need it simply makes you an idiot."

"Are you calling me an idiot?" Regina bristled.

"Just tell me next time if you're not all right." Emma sighed, clearly frustrated. "Please."

"Fine."

Regina's walking was much better after that. Emma bandaged her feet up every morning, and she also forced them to take more breaks during the day, so that Regina was able to take her weight off them.

Nevertheless, it was starting to feel like they had been on this outrageous journey forever and all of it was beginning to take a toll on Regina mentally, too.

Not to mention the snow; yes, the snow. After a certain point, no big trees could grow on the slopes, and there was only the disgusting white stuff all around them. Because of the lower temperatures, their breath came out in white puffs; the snow was cold and wet, and it stuck to the hem of Regina's dress and cloak, causing her clothes to weigh a ton. At times, the sun reflected off the white surface so brightly that it was even difficult to see, making the former Vestal's head ache from all the squinting.

When, one day, Regina slipped on the wet surface of a rock and slid, rather unceremoniously, onto her backside, her body submerging in the white matter up to her knees, the stress and frustration simply boiled over. She was so goddamn _done_ with it all.

"That's it, I quit!" she yelled, clambering up from the ground, the freezing cold snow sliding down her calf and into her boots.

"Hey, we've made good progress, Regina. Don't give up now," Emma tried, but the brunette was having none of it.

"Yeah, that's easy for you to say! You might be used to roughing it, but this is so far out of my comfort zone that one more cut or slip and I'll go insane."

"Regina-,"

"No! I give up. I thought the forests of Rome were the most awful thing, but this? This is an inferno I can't even begin to describe. I'll go back, I don't care if they catch me; I just can't take this goddamn climbing anymore!"

"Regina! Shut up!" Emma said forcefully, grabbing the brunette by the shoulders. "You can't go back, you would never make it! We've made it this far, and I'm not letting you quit on me when we're so close to the halfway mark."

"But I don't want this; any of it!"

"I don't care; you're not a quitter either, so, just breathe!"

Their eyes locked, and Regina did what she was asked, taking a few steadying breaths and feeling the panic gradually ease up a notch.

"Good." Emma nodded. "Feel better?"

"Barely," Regina grunted.

"I'll take that." The blonde didn't let go of her. "Now, we'll take it easy. We're almost done with the hardest part. Okay?"

"I guess."

Slowly, they resumed their pace. With her—albeit fragile—newfound inner equilibrium, Regina, with much more ease, followed Emma along a steep pass within the mountains. When the first snowy peaks could finally be seen in the distance, the magnitude of their journey truly registered with the brunette. Tying her petticoat around her ankles anew to keep out the snow and the freezing winds, Regina trudged after Emma.

After a couple of days of laborious climbing, they finally reached the highest point of their journey. With wonder, Regina admired the view which literally took her breath away.

"It's like being on top of the world, isn't it?" Emma asked, coming to stand next to Regina.

"Magnificent," Regina whispered, feeling like she could almost reach up and touch the clouds swimming above them.

"I told you you could do it." Emma smiled.

"I thought Rome was the most beautiful place on earth, but this is definitely coming close." Regina was absolutely mesmerised. "The view is breathtaking."

"Yes, yes it is," Emma murmured, and Regina turned to see the blonde looking right at her.

Before she could even blush (like was all too common when Emma kept looking at her like that), Emma spoke up again: "Ready to start heading down?"

Regina shook her head slightly, shedding all thoughts of how incredibly green Emma's eyes were.

Somewhere, at the back of her mind, it also registered with her that this was such a pivotal moment in many ways; as Regina looked towards the horizon, she knew that she would never see her homeland again. Even when there really was nothing to go back to, she felt sorrow for truly leaving everything behind, for giving up on everything. But, as she looked back at Emma, the feeling of determination and the certainty over her decision won over.

"Yes. Lead the way." Regina nodded, wrapping the scarf more tightly around her neck and earning a relieved grin from Emma in return.

The terrain slowly but surely slanted down during the following week; nevertheless, Regina found out that going down steep mountainsides could be just as difficult and exhausting as climbing them. When they eventually reached the tree line again, for the first time, Regina dared hope that they would actually make it to Gaul unscathed.

Keeping the campfire burning one late afternoon—there was a Vestal joke in there somewhere—while Emma was out hunting, Regina's thoughts, once again, turned to all the people who were certainly after her. While the emperor would, in all likelihood, simply give up the chase at some point, as more pressing issues arose, Regina was certain that her mother and Gold would never stop hunting her. It was one thing to withhold information from them, but refusing to do the bidding of the most powerful man in Rome, and betraying a woman of such high stature as Cora, was a whole other form of betrayal. Gold and her mother would consider Regina their enemy for life; because no one, absolutely no one, had defied them in such a way before and survived to tell the tale.

All this brought Regina to the biggest dilemma she would soon be facing: where on earth in the empire could she hide without, eventually, being found out and shipped to Rome to be executed for her crimes? It wasn't enough that she had left the vicinity of Rome behind, because, for the rest of her life, she would still have to keep looking over her shoulder. If nothing else, the story about an insubordinate Vestal would live on; it would never be truly forgotten.

Regina was shaken out of her gloomy thoughts by a cheerfully whistling Emma, who made her way back to the camp, dragging a dead fawn behind her.

"Proper food for your Highness," Emma teased, showing off the result of her hunt.

"About time," Regina quipped, but began eagerly preparing the meat for cooking.

Emma pulled the bow and quiver over her head and placed them carefully on the ground before joining the other woman; nowadays, the bow was Emma's dearest accessory, and the blonde was never on the move without it. She had even carved a small picture of a swan on it—for luck, she said—which just made Regina roll her eyes.

"How would you like to have a proper bath again?" Emma asked when they were already well into separating the best parts of the animal from its bones.

"I would kill for one."

"Figured." Emma chuckled. "I took a peek over the next ridge while chasing this beast and I could see a city on the horizon; I think it could be Geneva. It's only a day trip away."

"So, we're going to make a stop there?" Regina asked hopefully, the image of a bath and, perhaps, sleeping indoors again, almost too wonderful to resist.

"I thought we might. We need to get there after dark, though. I don't want to risk anyone seeing us."

"So, no good night's sleep at one of those disgusting taverns?" Regina asked, disappointed.

Good gods, had someone told Regina a year ago that she would actually feel saddened for being denied a night at a rundown tavern, she would've slapped them across the face for slander. And, yet, here she was, in an entirely different life, dreaming of things she used to take for granted.

"Sorry, sweetie," Emma apologised, cutting the meat in smaller pieces with the knife like Regina had taught her.

Regina's head snapped up at hearing the term of endearment, the word slipping from Emma's lips with ease. The blonde didn't even seem to notice it, continuing her work without catching the somewhat flummoxed look crossing the brunette's features. Her thoughts racing a mile a minute, Regina regarded the other woman with ever-growing wonder.

But, before she could tread into the too dangerous territory within her, at times, treacherous mind, Regina tore her eyes away and scolded herself for nearly giving in to Emma's type of sentimentality again.

No, it was easier simply not to care.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The lukewarm water caressed Regina's skin, relaxing her aching muscles in the most wonderful of ways. Closing her eyes, she leaned her head against the edge of the pool and simply enjoyed this all too rare moment of relaxation.

They had slipped into Geneva after nightfall, creeping along the streets almost like a couple of thugs; Regina had found the entire thing rather humiliating – even after all this time being on the run. Then again, being able to soak her sore body in the still warm water was definitely worth all the sneaking around.

"One thing I'm definitely going to miss from here is the baths," Emma said and sighed contently.

"They are rather wonderful, aren't they?"

"I'm tempted to stay within the borders of the empire with you just for the bathhouses alone." Emma gave a pause. "Have you given any thought to where you might want to settle down?" she then asked, the tone of her voice sounding as relaxed as Regina felt.

"I haven't really thought about it," the former Vestal answered elusively, the feeling of discomfort immediately washing over her.

"There are some nice places in Gaul, or so I've heard. Same with the Roman side of Germania." Emma cleared her throat. "Maybe...I could sneak across the river at times, to see how you were doing."

"I'll have to think about it." Regina sighed. "To be honest, I really don't know what I would do with myself if I actually found somewhere to live. It's not like I have any special skills," she said, voicing one of the biggest doubts she'd had since Milan and her decision to follow Emma.

"Well, you can cook," Emma suggested.

"Hardly well enough to make a living out of it," Regina scoffed.

"I'm sure you can learn a trade."

"Wonderful," Regina stated flatly, not nearly as confident with the idea as Emma seemed to be.

"Well, you can already sew."

"So, I'm supposed to fix people's clothing for the rest of my life?" Regina wasn't at all convinced about that option either.

"Just a suggestion."

"I'll figure something out," Regina said in a way that indicated the present discussion was now over; she refused to lose her somewhat good mood over the topic at hand.

Emma sighed and placed a hand on Regina's shoulder in an encouraging manner.

Silence fell between them again. Regina was beginning to feel her muscles relax when the hand that still rested on her shoulder slowly slid down her arm and then up again.

"Emma?" Regina asked, her voice containing a hint of warning.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

There was a pause before Emma replied: "We never really talked about it."

"About what?"

"I think you know."

Oh, Regina knew.

"Do we absolutely have to?"

"You were the one wondering what it is that we're doing."

"Well, I don't anymore."

"Come on, Regina."

"Can we just…leave it, for now?"

Emma didn't reply. Instead, her arm sneaked around Regina's lithe form, and Regina's eyes shot open. The blonde was standing directly in front of her, and Regina almost forgot to breathe when she saw the smouldering look aimed at her. Hands grasped her hips under the water, bringing her flush against the blonde. Regina inhaled sharply, feeling Emma's hardened nipples against her own, and her eyes momentarily fluttered close.

"Emma?" Regina's voice was higher than she would've preferred.

"You said you didn't want to talk about it," Emma said in a low voice. "You didn't say we should stop doing it."

"Yes, well-, ah!" The brunette wasn't able to finish, because Emma's thigh had slipped between her legs and just happened to brush against the one spot that would certainly render the eminent former Vestal speechless.

"Back in Rome, do you know how difficult it was for me to not make a move on you during all those evenings at the bathhouse?" Emma whispered, her breath like a caress against the brunette's lips.

"I...uh..." Regina swallowed. "I took a cha-, chastity vow, so I probably would-, would've slapped you."

"Mmh, why does that not surprise me?" Emma teased. "No, I think I could've won you over with my impeccable charm."

"Your charm?" Regina opened her eyes and was greeted by Emma's trademark smile.

When they had first met, that smile had had the ability to rile Regina up like nothing else, to drive her to the brink of nearly uncontrollable rage. But, now, seeing it released a herd of butterflies at the pit of her stomach, making Regina's insides quiver with anticipation. Done with all the teasing, Regina grabbed Emma's neck and crashed their lips together in a desperate kiss.

"That charm." Emma chuckled when they broke apart for air, only to immediately reattach their lips in an even more passionate kiss.

Regina's body was on fire, the feel of the blonde conjuring up such intense sensations she almost wondered if she could take it. Just like in Biella, Regina felt herself coming alive in Emma's arms, her body attuned to the other woman's touch like it never had been to anyone else's. She wanted, no, she craved for it so terribly that it scared her.

The storm raging inside of her made Regina take action, and she grabbed Emma's hand and brought it between her legs, desperately seeking for the release she so severely needed. Emma cupped her core, and Regina's nails dug into the blonde's back, her breath hitching. But Emma kept her hand still; she kissed and licked her way slowly along Regina's jaw, all the way to her ear.

"I want to show you how beautiful you are," Emma breathed out, slowly withdrawing her hand.

Regina whimpered at the loss of contact, but before she could protest any further, she felt Emma's hands slide up her thighs. The former gladiator grabbed Regina by the hips again, and the brunette felt herself being lifted upwards. Placing Regina on the edge of the pool, Emma moved between the other woman's legs and looked at her intently; Regina shivered as she saw her own desire reflected back at her in Emma's eyes. The blonde pushed Regina's legs further apart, running her hand up the brunette's calf. A chaste kiss was placed on Regina's lips before her leg was hefted over Emma's shoulder, and the other woman leaned down.

"Emma what-," Regina began, but her brain died a quick and painless death the moment Emma's lips found their goal.

"Oh, my gods!"

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The next day, when they left the surroundings of Geneva behind them, the scenery was already significantly different from that of the past weeks. Raiding an unsuspecting farmer's washing line along the way, with only a small pang of guilt, they stole several new blankets and proper bed sheets, stuffing them in their bags and rapidly running away from the crime scene. They trekked through meadows and surprisingly thick spruce forests; they crossed small rivers and climbed over large cliffs.

During the following days, they were constantly descending, further and further from the snowy peaks of the mountains, but Regina inexplicably felt like she was travelling through the most challenging leg of their journey yet. Peculiarly, Emma seemed to have picked up speed, and it was, all of a sudden, difficult for Regina to keep up. Breathing heavily, she stopped, for just a little moment, and leaned against a pine tree for support.

"Everything okay?" Emma asked, once she noticed that the other woman wasn't following.

"Yes, I just need to catch my breath." Regina was sweating profusely, and she wiped the extra moisture off her brow.

Emma pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing. "You do remember what I said about you telling me if something's off, right?"

"It's all fine, honestly." Regina glared at the former gladiator.

"We can take a break," Emma suggested, but Regina shook her head forcefully.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, we don't have time for useless breaks." She pushed away from the tree. Her eyes accidentally landed on Emma's lips, and she blushed furiously, the events of Geneva still fresh in her mind; just the thought of what had occurred at the bathhouse was enough to get her heart thumping rapidly in her chest.

"Are you absolutely certain that you're able to continue?" Emma frowned.

"Yes!" Regina said, exasperated. "Just slow down a little, will you? You were sprinting ahead as if someone was chasing you."

Emma raised her eyebrow, amused.

"You know what I mean." Regina huffed, pushing past Emma who was desperately trying to keep a straight face.

The inexplicable fatigue didn't fade, however; Regina felt like her feet were weighing a ton, and keeping up with Emma was starting to be an impossible task. She panted heavily, stumbling after the other woman and leaning against anything she could for support; she stubbornly refused to take a break whenever Emma suggested it.

Eventually, out of the blue, the exhaustion simply caught up with Regina. One moment, she was trekking down the mountainside after Emma, attempting to maintain the pace, and the next, she felt her legs give out under her. She only managed a strangled, "Emma," before her knees hit the ground, and everything went black.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

It was as if Regina was swimming in a never-ending blackness, moving about without direction or knowledge of where she was going. Every once in a while, she could have sworn she saw a light and heard a familiar voice from somewhere around her, but those moments were fleeting, and, just as quickly, she was pulled back into the dark again.

Regina didn't know how long she had drifted aimlessly in the nothingness, when there was a strange light ahead of her again; and the voice, that same voice she had heard before; only now, she could actually make out words. _Emma_. Trying to cling onto it with everything she had, she heard the blonde call out to her, telling her to come back to her, to open her eyes. But Regina couldn't. She could feel the coldness enveloping her, and it took too much energy to move a muscle. Frustrated, she let the darkness claim her again.

It was rather unexpected when Regina suddenly saw her mother, hovering above her, her eyes as cold and emotionless as ever. She tried to get away from her, to turn her head at least, but her body still refused to cooperate.

"You are such a disappointment, Regina," Cora retorted.

"I couldn't harm that child," Regina defended.

"Who cares about a child? I'm talking about your inability to do what you're told; such ridiculous ineptitude. I truly wish I'd never had you."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted you to love me," Regina whispered, tears falling down her face against her will.

"Love is weakness."

That ominous, sneering grin her mother was so fond of was the last thing Regina saw before her vision blurred, and another figure emerged from the haze.

"Kathryn," Regina breathed out. She was suddenly standing in the middle of the Temple of Vesta, the fire next to her burning stronger than she'd ever seen it burn before.

"You shouldn't have run, Regina." Kathryn shook her head sadly.

"I didn't have a choice."

"They'll never stop chasing you."

"We'll manage."

"We?"

"Emma and I."

Kathryn seemed to smile. "Maybe there's hope; you'll find your answers yet."

"What answers?"

The Kathryn her mind had somehow conjured up ignored her. "It's hard to care about anyone else when you don't even care about yourself."

"You aren't making any sense."

"You should go to her now."

"What do you mean?"

Kathryn raised her hand and pointed somewhere behind Regina. The brunette turned around and was suddenly face to face with Emma.

"It's been a while since we've seen this place."

Regina looked around her and recognised the inside of the bathhouse that had been their meeting place in Rome.

"What are we doing back in here?" Regina asked, concentrating on the blonde again.

"I don't know. It's your dream."

"I don't understand." Regina frowned, only then noticing that Emma was dressed up as a gladiator.

There was commotion somewhere outside, and Emma turned her head towards it.

"I should go; my battle is about to begin. I'm waiting for you, you know."

Emma took a few steps backwards, the vision beginning to get blurred again.

"Wait! Emma! What am I doing here?" Regina tried to move, but her feet were rooted to the spot.

"I lo-,"

With a sharp intake of breath, Regina emerged from the all-encompassing blackness.

"Come on, Regina. It's time to wake up for a second." There it was again, Emma's voice somewhere above her. It was closer now than ever before, as if, instead of an impenetrable wall, there was now only a thin fabric separating her from the other woman.

With every ounce of strength that she had, Regina cracked open her eyes, unable to see anything at first. Finally, shapes began to emerge from the shadows, and then Emma's concerned face swam into her vision, unfocused. A warm hand grasped Regina's.

"Hey, beautiful." Emma's voice was soft, relieved.

Regina attempted to speak, but nothing came out. Instead, a coughing fit took over; her throat hurt, and just breathing felt like an insurmountable task. She closed her eyes again, the coughing draining all the strength from her body.

"It's okay, don't try to speak." A wet cloth was placed on her forehead, and Emma's hand on her cheek felt almost burning hot. "You have a fever," Emma explained, her voice beginning to drift away from Regina again.

Regina didn't want to go yet, but the exhaustion was simply too great an opponent to fight. The last thing she registered was Emma lying down next to her and gathering the brunette in her arms. "Just sleep. I'll be here when you wake up."

Regina couldn't have resisted the slumber, even if she had wanted to.

And that is how it was for Regina, days all seemingly melting together, with occasional moments of clarity when she would come to. At times, she would awake to Emma sleeping next to her, her arms always protectively around Regina. Sometimes, she became aware of being moved and realised that Emma was somehow pulling her forward, because she could see the sunlight filter through the nearly bare tree branches. There were also times when Regina wasn't sure if she was actually awake, or if the fever again made her see things that weren't actually there; once, she'd been certain her mother was standing over her once more, a satisfied smirk on her face at outsmarting her runaway daughter. But, as she had struggled to get away from her, Emma's voice had pierced through the nightmare and brought her back from the madness. There was a continuing stream of nearly wakeful moments, downright delusions, and utter darkness; the only thing that seemed constant throughout them all was the presence of Emma somewhere at the fringes of her mind, telling her that everything would be all right.

It wasn't until one night—Regina assumed it was night time, since she could hear the fire crackle somewhere—when she woke up with a start, only to realise that she wasn't in the makeshift tent that Emma put together for them every evening. In fact, Regina was lying on something so soft that she couldn't even remember the last time she'd been this comfortable. Forcing her eyes open, it took her a while to realise that she wasn't outside at all, that there was a roof over her, keeping in the warmth of the fire in the nearby fireplace. Breathing was easier, she noticed with relief, and for the first time in what felt like ages, she wasn't freezing.

Noises somewhere outside drew Regina's eyes to the closed door on the opposite side of the room, and she watched as a snow-covered Emma stepped in with her bow, and a pair of dead ducks hanging from a rope in her hand. All of it dropped to the floor, however, when Emma glanced at the bed and realised that Regina was looking back at her.

"Regina!" A happy smile spread on Emma's lips, and she quickly strode over to the brunette, discarding her cloak in the process. She crouched next to the bed and, almost hesitantly, the former gladiator placed her hand on Regina's forehead. "Your fever's broken. How do you feel?"

"Like a whole damn Roman legion just walked over me," Regina croaked, her voice hoarse from the lack of use. She expected a laugh, or at least a chuckle, from Emma, but when nothing could be heard, Regina slowly turned her head to the side. She was met with sorrowful eyes.

"You scared the crap out of me, Regina." Emma swallowed, wiping her eyes dry.

Unable to respond verbally—Regina refused to acknowledge the lump in her own throat—the brunette slowly grasped Emma's hand that lay next to her on the bed; she just hoped that Emma would understand. She wasn't disappointed, as the other woman entwined their fingers together and kissed the back of Regina's hand.

"Where are we?" she asked, gladly accepting the flagon of water Emma offered her.

"An abandoned cabin I happened to come across. I think we'll be able to wait out the winter here."

"We made it across?"

"Yeah," Emma gave a laugh. "We're quite a pair, you and I. Frankly, it's remarkable it took this long for one of us to have a little setback."

"How long have I been out of it?"

"A little over a week."

"A week?" Regina groaned. That explained why she felt so strangely flaccid.

"Felt like an eternity to me too."

"How did we get down the mountains?" Regina asked.

"By being creative," Emma said, shrugging.

"Wait, I remember...being dragged? Somehow." Regina's brow furrowed.

"I made a stretcher."

"You made a stretcher?"

"Yes. You were too heavy to be carried."

Regina glared at the other woman, recognising the teasing tone, but still feeling slightly annoyed by it.

"You know, most people would've just left me there to die," Regina quipped weakly, only half joking. It was so difficult to get rid of the mindset that had been drilled into her long before she was able to think for herself; the feeling of worthlessness. It didn't matter how many times Emma came to her rescue.

"Oh, shut up." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me?" Regina tried to sound indignant, but she was so weak that it inevitably fell flat.

"You know perfectly well that I would never leave you; ever."

Regina swallowed at the fervour and earnestness in Emma's voice.

"Well... Thank you for being so unbelievably pig-headed." Regina couldn't quite look at the blonde.

"Anytime," Emma said and brushed a lock of hair affectionately away from Regina's face.

"So," the brunette began quietly, desperate to change the subject, "we can spend the winter here?"

"Yes, I think so." Emma stood up and went to feed the fire in the fireplace. "I mean, it's not exactly the House of Vestals, I would imagine; the roof is leaking quite severely, and the place probably hasn't been cleaned in a decade, but at least we'll have a roof over our heads."

"And what if the legionaries find us here?"

"That's a chance we have to take. Though, I very much doubt they'll be scouring the countryside after the amount of snow that has just fallen." Emma sat on the edge of the bed again. "And, if they do find us, there's something in this house that, as a last resort, offers us some strategic leverage."

"And what's that?" Regina yawned, but still forced herself to concentrate on the blonde.

"There's a sinkhole underneath the house that works as a perfect hideout. I think it used to be a cellar, but someone has nailed floorboards over it. I accidentally found it when I was examining the damage around the room."

"We'll hide in a sinkhole? Wonderful."

Emma ran her hand through her hair, slightly discouraged. "Come on, trust me. And you'll love the house."

"Doubtful." Regina shook her head, eyeing the decaying walls around her with suspicion. "But fine. It's not like I'm fit for travel anyway at the moment." She blinked rapidly; she was so tired again all of a sudden, it was nearly impossible to keep her eyes open.

"Just close your eyes; you should get some rest," Emma said, and Regina happily obeyed, because she really couldn't have stayed awake anyway.

Regina felt Emma stand up, giving her space to rest.

"Emma?" Regina asked, nearly asleep already.

"Yeah?"

It was because of the remnants of the fever, Regina reasoned. Otherwise, she definitely wouldn't have stooped as low and appeared as weak; the spooky visions from earlier, however, were still looming in her mind, so she made a decision and swallowed her pride.

"Could you just...stay?"

Regina felt the bed tip again, and a warm body wrapped around her, dead birds on the floor long forgotten. The last thing Regina heard was Emma whispering in her ear.

"For as long as you'd like."

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

A few weeks later, Regina had recovered well, the slight weakness in her muscles the only indication that she had ever been ill. Emma had been able to fix most of the leaks in the ceiling, so now their little cottage was almost comfortable to live in; it was still draughty, but at least the fireplace worked like a charm. There were some old pots and pans in the cupboards, and whenever Emma was able to catch some game, Regina was more than happy to cook it.

The days went by surprisingly fast as the two women took care of the various chores around the house—usually, all the while bickering how, in the other's opinion, something should be done completely differently—making it their own. In the evening, once it was getting dark outside, Emma would pull out a pair of dice (a pair she'd bought from Biella, Regina found out), and they would play while sharing stories and opinions about everything and nothing. Somehow, it still came as a surprise to Regina how she truly enjoyed the blonde's company, every day, staying put in the same place, eagerly waiting for those precious moments of the late afternoon and evening.

As they were ready for bed, Emma would feed the fire one last time before slipping between the sheets and settling on her side of the bed. Regina found that it was as if she was a completely different person then, during those dark hours of the night when the fire, little by little, died down. Their lips sought out the other, hands travelled along bare skin, and Regina moaned out Emma's name freely and without shame.

And that's how it went, from November to December and from December to January. They settled into a routine that was so achingly familiar and, really, happily domestic that Regina needed to remind herself, on several occasions, that this strange arrangement wasn't going to be permanent. She had to tell herself over and over that they would continue their journey once the snow melted, and that she would, eventually, settle down somewhere in the Roman provinces without Emma. Getting so attached to this present way of life was simply foolish.

January eventually turned into February, and, everyday, it was becoming clearer to Regina that they would soon have to start moving forward again. It was somewhere in mid-February when Emma brought up the issue as they were sleepily laying in bed, that glorious afterglow of sex surrounding them.

"The snow will probably melt within a few weeks." Emma lazily ran a finger up Regina's arm, leaving goose bumps in its wake.

"Yeah?" Regina knew she didn't sound particularly excited, but she was too tired to hide it.

"We have to move forward," Emma said regretfully. "The legionaries will surely begin searching these parts soon, and it's only a matter of time before they find us here if we stay."

"Mmmh," Regina replied, non-committed, and turned on her side, her back to Emma.

"We'll find a place for you. There are nice villages in Germania Superior."

"I'm tired, Emma." Regina heard Emma sigh.

"Regina, we need to talk about this."

"What part of 'I'm tired' don't you understand?"

"I don't care. You don't get to end this discussion; this needs to be done."

"Excuse me?" Regina sat up and turned to Emma in a flash.

"You always do that, you know that?" Emma groaned.

"Do what?" Regina's eyes flashed with annoyance.

"Decide when a particular topic is exhausted!" Emma's voice rose, her jaw set in obvious frustration. "For once, can we just talk things through?"

"If I don't want to talk about something, that's the end of it."

"If something affects us both, don't I get a say in it?"

"No!" It was out before Regina was able to stop it.

For a while, neither of them moved, as if the time between them stood still entirely. Then, Emma gave a humourless laugh, sounding unpleasantly loud in the small space. The blonde shook her head, her lips close to a sneer.

"That's right, I forgot." She glanced at Regina, her eyes colder than the brunette had ever seen them. "I'm the slave in this relationship; I'm just supposed to follow you blindly." With that, Emma got up and hastily pulled on her clothes that had ended up scattered around the floor earlier.

"What 'relationship'?" Regina scoffed in defiance, simply annoyed by Emma's tone.

Emma halted her movements, her hands on the buttons of her trousers. "I thought..." Emma began, but her mouth snapped shut after that. "Whatever."

Regina finally relented a little: "Emma, would you stop? I didn't mean-,"

"No!" The forcefulness of Emma's tone, and the way she took a few, almost menacing, steps towards Regina, made the brunette automatically lean back. "I know perfectly well what you meant!" Emma was fuming now. "I have tried to make this goddamn journey as easy as possible, because I know you're suffering every single day. But do you honestly think any of this has been easy for me? That I'm just traipsing through the empire without a worry in the world?"

Regina had to look away, the fury and hurt in Emma's eyes simply too much to bear. "I never really thought about it," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"Of course you didn't because the world revolves around the perfect Vestal Regina!" Emma said in a mocking tone.

"That was uncalled for." Regina bristled.

"Was it?" Emma spread her arms for emphasis; it was like a dam had suddenly broken inside of the other woman. "I've struggled to take care of everything in order to get us this far, but you; you just seem to take it all for granted. Just once, I'd like to be taken into consideration, to be heard; I feel like I'm just a pawn in your little game that you move whenever it suits you!"

The sheet loosely wrapped around her, Regina was on her feet before she knew what she was doing. "You take that back," she said, the voice low and dangerous.

"What? Did I hit too close to home?" Emma tilted her head sarcastically, and Regina, suddenly, saw red.

The brunette's hand made contact with Emma's cheek with a loud slap that echoed in the small room. Regina took a step back, her mouth hanging open in shock.

"Emma, I'm sorry." She scrambled to fix her terrible faux-pas.

"I guess old habits die hard," Emma spat out and turned on her heels, the door of the cabin swinging shut behind her so fiercely that the small crock on the table fell onto the floor and shattered into pieces.

Helplessly, Regina stared at the closed door, trying to make sense of what on earth had just happened. She breathed heavily and ran a hand through her hair, all the while expecting Emma to come back, to tell her that everything was all right. But, stubbornly, the door remained shut, the silence around Regina nearly suffocating.

With shaky feet, Regina sat on the edge of the bed. She raised a hand to her mouth, feeling the first sob make its way up her neck, and squeezed her eyes shut. There was nothing she could do to stop the tears which freely slid down her cheeks, wetting the fabric of the sheet.

_Have I really become just like my mother?_

The thought sickened Regina, made her hands tremble uncontrollably.

The tears finally dried up, and Regina sank back to the bed, clutching the sheet against her chest, and stared emotionlessly at the opposite side wall. What had she expected, really? That the influence Cora had had on her life wouldn't have rubbed off on her? She was her mother's daughter, using people and discarding them when there was nothing they could offer her anymore; despising those below her, because her own place in the Roman society exceeded that of most others'. Of course she would treat Emma as a barbarian, because that was what she'd been taught all her life.

But why, then, did it matter so much what a supposed lowlife, such as Emma, thought of her?

Regina wasn't sure how long she'd lain on the bed, forced to be alone with her own thoughts, but the fire in the fireplace had long since died. Suddenly, there were footsteps in the darkness, and the door was slowly swung open; Emma stepped in, a wave of cold air washing through the room and making Regina shiver.

With minute movements (probably so as to not awake the other woman), Emma got rid of her excess clothing and made her way towards the bed. She lay down on her back with a huff.

There was a long silence, before Regina whispered, her voice still slightly hoarse from the crying: "Where did you go?"

"To the woods; I needed some time to think." Emma sighed.

"In the dark?"

"Yes, in the dark." Emma shifted slightly. "We should get some sleep. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

When the blonde made no attempts to move, Regina almost let it be, almost succeeded in telling herself that she didn't care. But, as the silence between them stretched on, she cleared her throat.

"Emma?"

"Yes?"

The words got stuck in the brunette's throat.

"Regina, what?" Emma asked.

"I'm cold." It was said with a small voice, the darkness giving Regina courage she otherwise would have lacked.

Regina prayed that she wouldn't need to grovel more, that she wouldn't have to stoop lower that she already had, and then she squeezed her eyes shut in relief when Emma sighed, and strong arms wrapped her in a safe and warm cocoon. She just needed this, this moment of closeness with Emma, and it nearly broke her when she felt soft lips on her shoulder. It was just an innocent goodnight kiss, a half-hearted attempt at smoothing things over a little between them, but for Regina, it signified something else entirely. The realisation made her eyes shoot open in the darkness.

For Regina, this moment meant everything.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

As it turned out, despite the fight that they afterwards pretended never occurred, Regina didn't actually need to worry about the unpleasant task of voluntarily leaving behind the house and their oddly domestic life. This was simply due to the fact that their plans did a complete one-eighty one spring afternoon in early March. The former Vestal had just finished doing the dishes when a foreboding shiver suddenly went through her and roused her from her thoughts. Just as Regina was going to take a peek outside to see if something was amiss, she heard someone running towards the door.

Emma rushed in, a look of worry and alarm etched on her face, and Regina knew immediately that whatever had the blonde so off kilter wasn't anything good.

"Regina, hide in the sinkhole!" Emma ordered, slamming the door shut and barricading it with anything she could reach.

"What is going on?" Regina demanded, but began removing the floorboards as ordered.

"Roman soldiers," Emma stated simply, pushing the small table against the door as well.

The blonde hurried over to Regina and helped pry open the needed planks. They loosened rather easily, and, once the hole was big enough, Emma helped Regina over the edge. The brunette climbed down the shaky rope steps and jumped onto the bottom of the hole. She expected Emma to follow close behind, but, as she looked up, she saw Emma place one of the boards back in place instead. The rope steps were soon in a heap on the ground in front of Regina.

"Emma?" Regina asked warningly, an uneasy feeling within her springing forth. "What in the name of Jupiter do you think you're doing?"

"They'll catch us both if the floorboards aren't properly in place."

Another plank was set in line with the previous one.

"Emma, don't you dare do this!" Regina yelled, realising that Emma was, once again, putting the former Vestal's safety ahead of her own.

"I won't let them get us both, Regina," Emma said with finality. "Please, whatever you hear, stay quiet. They won't find you here."

_Haven't you ever been willing to die for someone?_

Emma's question, uttered a lifetime ago, suddenly flashed through Regina's mind, causing her to choke up. There was only one board left to be inserted in its proper place.

"Emma, please." Regina's voice cracked slightly, the enormity of the situation hitting her directly across the face after every inch of vanishing daylight.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine."

Angrily wiping her eyes dry, Regina watched as Emma placed the end of the last floorboard in place. Hesitating just a little, she glanced down at Regina one last time.

"And Regina?"

"Yes?"

"I love you." It was said in a murmur, and Regina wasn't even sure she heard correctly.

Before the brunette was able to say anything back, darkness fell on her as the last plank was set in place. She heard Emma hit the boards a few times to make them fit more tightly against each other, and then there was only silence. Regina almost called out for the other woman when, suddenly, a loud, cracking noise sounded somewhere above her, and she assumed that the door had been kicked in, along with all the furniture Emma had used as a feeble attempt at a barricade.

Quick footsteps and yelling followed, and Regina instinctively pressed closer against the wall behind her.

"Where is the other one?" Regina heard someone—a man—yell.

"Who?" It was Emma.

"Don't play games with me! Where's the Vestal priestess?"

"She died, when we were crossing the mountains. I left her up there."

There was further commotion, and then Emma groaned, clearly in pain. Regina raised her hand to press against her mouth to keep from making a sound, the other grasping the pendant hanging around her neck. She squeezed it inside her fist, much in the same way she had done during Emma's battles at the arena, and forced herself to stay silent.

"You're lying! We know you're travelling together," the same male voice boomed. "Now, I'll ask you again: where is Vestal Regina?"

There was a long pause. "Go fuck yourself."

There was a loud crash, and Regina could hear Emma cough violently. Tears now freely falling down her face, Regina slowly slid down to the ground, willing herself to not make a sound while the racket above her continued.

"Search the premises! She's bound to be close," the man finally ordered, and two sets of footsteps disappeared out of the door. "And you two; put that barbarian in chains. We're taking her to Lugdunum."

There were more noises that Regina wasn't able to distinguish, but then a clear sound of something rather heavy being dragged across the room filled her ears and her heart stopped. She expected to hear Emma fight her captors, but not a peep from the other woman could be heard, and, soon, there was only silence. Not long after, Regina heard a faint sound of horses neighing and then galloping away, and, when she was absolutely certain that no one was coming back, she slowly got up from the ground.

It took all of Regina's strength to get to the top, digging toeholds in the dirt wall as she went; once she was all the way up, she barely managed to knock the floorboards out and hoist herself up before collapsing next to the hole. Chest heaving, she tried to catch her breath, every muscle in her body protesting, and it wasn't until then that the panic took over as she felt the hard and cold floor underneath her.

_This can't be happening._

"What am I going to do?" she uttered to no one, suddenly feeling nauseous.

Regina felt sick to her stomach, realising that she was truly alone in the middle of nowhere and absolutely without any kind of a plan or direction.

"Lugdunum," she whispered, concentrating on that one word that meant everything to her at this point. "Lugdunum. Lugdunum. Lugdunum."

Little by little, Regina's breathing returned to normal, and she gingerly sat up and looked around her. There were blood splatters on the floor, and Regina felt her stomach roll. Quelling the sick feeling threatening to consume her again, her eyes landed on Emma's bow that still leaned against the wall in the corner. The small swan carving adorning the wood immediately calmed the brunette.

"You can do it," Regina muttered to herself, peace and strength suddenly flooding her mind. "You're more resilient than you give yourself credit for."

Carefully, Regina stood up, leaning against the bed for support, and walked to the bow. Picking it up almost lovingly, she ran her finger along its smooth surface and inhaled deeply. There really was no question of what she would do: Emma had been there for Regina from the beginning, had saved her on so many occasions, and now it was her turn to return the favour.

She would find Emma again if it was the last thing she did.


	15. Fifteen

**CHAPTER 15**

"Ugh!" The ground was cold and muddy under Regina's bare hands.

She was just about able to break the inglorious fall, her hands absorbing most of the impact. Glancing behind her, the root of a tree which had tripped her was almost mockingly sticking out of the ground. Fighting the sob that she could feel constricting her throat, Regina squeezed her eyes shut and willed herself not to lose it completely.

Tracking someone, as it turned out, wasn't nearly as easy as it sounded. From the possible imprints on the ground, Regina hadn't been able to detect, at all, where the men who had taken Emma had gone. Besides, there was so much that she was carrying on her back—everything she could, more or less, comfortably carry—that every half an hour or so, she was forced to take a break.

"Get up, get up, get up," she compelled herself and, panting heavily, she slowly got on her feet again and sat on a nearby rock.

Gods be damned, Regina should have gone with Emma that one time when the blonde had suggested she learn to hunt and track animals! But, instead, Regina had sneered like it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard (which it totally had been). Having that knowledge sure would've come in handy right about now.

The other problem was that Regina didn't know, even remotely, where Lugdunum was. She had heard the name of the city only once before, during one of the emperor's weekly audiences, when a general had recounted his adventures in Gaul to Titus. But, truly, that was as far as her knowledge of the place went.

Cursing inwardly, Regina pondered her options. Eventually, she was bound to bump into someone she could ask for directions; that seemed like the only possible course of action. She opted to head west, taking her course from the stars and the position of the sun in the morning. She kept her eyes on the top of a mountain she could see in the distance, thinking that it would keep her on course. Regina knew that she would need to avoid the roads and people, just like Emma had taught her, but, at the same time, she reluctantly acquiesced that asking for help was a necessity. She simply had to hope that, upon seeing her, the people's thoughts wouldn't directly jump to a runaway Vestal priestess.

Her mind made up, Regina pulled the bundles and saddlebags on her back again, grabbed Emma's bow, and continued walking; it didn't register with her that the thought of moving on without Emma didn't, actually, even cross her mind.

Regina had been trekking for three days when it started raining. At first, it was an occasional rain drop here and there, and she thought nothing of it, but when the storm was obviously getting worse, she sprang into action: hastily creating a rudimentary tent from the blankets she carried with her, she managed to crawl into it just when the sky opened up. The tent wasn't terribly well constructed (she hadn't given Emma nearly enough credit during all those times the blonde had built comfortable sleeping quarters for them) and the rain was slowly but surely seeping inside. Moreover, she wasn't able to even try and make a fire in these conditions—so far, her nightly attempts had fallen short anyway—so she was forced to just sit still, wrapped in her winter cloak, and wait out the bad weather.

Sitting in the rain, in the middle of nowhere, alone and freezing, Regina thought back to her life in Rome. Back then, it had seemed like she had it all; she'd had all the fame, all the riches and, at least namely, power. She had been revered and adored. And, yet, it had all been such a humongous lie that, even with the recent events, Regina realised that she still, without a shadow of a doubt, would've chosen to flee the capital, instead of laying in wait for the inevitable fall from glory. It almost frightened her how much she, now, didn't want her old life back; and how much she actually wished to find the irritating blonde who, somehow, had the ability to bring out the worst and the best in Regina.

Yes, she wanted Emma around for this journey – maybe it was finally time to openly admit it. Because, really, how else could she explain the fact that she was chasing a patrol of Roman soldiers to the opposite direction from where she, in all probability, ought to be heading?

The rain didn't pass as quickly as Regina had hoped; she wasn't able to move onwards until the second day after the pouring had begun. With trepidation, she noticed that the food she had taken with her from the cabin was, slowly but surely, dwindling, and one of the blankets she had used for the tent was so muddy and disgusting that she had to abandon it altogether. Hoisting all that was left of her possessions on her back and reaching for the bow, she set out on her journey again.

Onwards, it was the only option; because if Regina allowed herself to think how impossible her future seemed right now, she would go insane.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The next day, Regina's luck turned. From behind a large maple tree, she watched a farmer plough his field, a horse pulling the feeble-looking device in a straight line. The man looked harmless enough, but Regina couldn't take any chances; pulling Emma's bow from over her shoulder, Regina adjusted an arrow to it and drew it back – just like she had seen Emma do. She knew it didn't look nearly as convincing as when the blonde did it, but it wasn't like she had any other options; it had to be done. She took a deep breath.

Stepping from behind the tree, the bow held up firmly—albeit a little wobbly—she disguised her voice to sound as commanding as possible: "Stop right there! Hands above your head!"

The farmer was startled, nearly tripping over into the dirt. Frightened, he turned to Regina, hands raised above his head as she had ordered. His eyes widened as he saw who was aiming the arrow at him.

"Please, don't hurt me. I have a family," he pleaded, fear clearly written on his face.

"I need you to tell me how to get to Lugdunum," Regina ordered, the sense of authority seeping into her voice from years of experience.

"Lugdunum?"

"Did I stutter?"

"It's many, many leagues from here. Almost two weeks by foot," the farmer informed, still fearfully eyeing the arrow pointed at him, but lowering his hands all the same.

"Two weeks?" Regina's hold on the bow faltered a little at that.

_Two weeks. Shit._

"There's a well-travelled road you can take, just over that hill." The farmer pointed behind him. "Go south, and, eventually, you'll reach the city."

"Thank you," Regina answered curtly, lowering the bow slightly.

She had only taken a few steps backwards when the farmer spoke up again: "You should hold the bow more firmly next time."

"Excuse me?"

"The trajectory and speed of the arrow is better if you bring the spring closer to your face." Before Regina was able to form any sort of response, the man continued: "It seems like you could use some rest and nourishment."

"What do you mean?"

The farmer swallowed, clearly intimidated by the fire in Regina's eyes. "I... I'm from the east, and, over there, it's customary to offer food and shelter to those who come by. You look like you could use a place to sleep for the night."

"No, thank you. I'm quite all right."

"There's an outbuilding right there," the farmer contended, indicating the building on the other side of the field.

"Why are you so insistent on helping me?" Regina demanded, a part of her actually wanting to accept the offer, and another part telling her to flee the scene as soon as possible.

"Just showing some kindness to a fellow human being, that's all."

Regina eyed the farmer, feeling conflicted. This could easily be a trap; maybe the farmer knew of her escape, and this was his way of catching the fugitive of the century. Then again, he did appear genuinely kind and truly meaning what he said, and the idea of a good night's sleep under a proper roof was incredibly enticing. And the truth of the matter was that Regina was tired; she was beyond exhausted. If she kept traipsing through the countryside the same way she had been for the past week, she would keel over long before she reached Emma.

So, Regina decided to take a gamble.

"Fine," she grunted. "But I'll be gone in the morning."

It's not like the farmer could get the soldiers there before sunrise anyway, she pondered.

"All right." The farmer nodded, looking at her with surprising compassion. "My-, uh, my name is Archibald. What's yours?"

Regina's eyes flashed. "None of your business." Fetching her things from behind the maple tree, she, once again, hoisted everything on her shoulder and stalked towards the building the farmer had pointed to earlier, leaving the man standing in the middle of a muddy field.

Fortunately, Archibald was a man of his word, Regina found. Although it was a barn, the shelter he provided was more than adequate, and his wife came by later with a tray of food and water for washing up. Feeling better than in ages, Regina lay down on the hay and was able to sleep—albeit not as well as with Emma's arms around her—through the night.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when Regina woke up with a start. It took a moment for her to get oriented, to remember where she was, but the moment it all sank in, she was up in a flash. The faster she got back on the road, the further she would get before the darkness made it difficult to go forward. The packing was almost done when she could sense someone's presence behind her.

"Leaving already?" Archibald's voice sounded, and Regina instinctively tensed.

"Yes, I have a long way ahead of me," she replied and resumed the gathering of her things. Finally, she threw on the cloak and turned to the farmer.

"Make sure you stay hidden, the legionary patrols use the road."

Regina blinked. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, and here." Archibald handed her a small bundle.

Confused, Regina peered inside and saw bread and cheese, as well as a small flagon of milk; it was enough to last her for several days.

"I don't understand," she said, frowning.

"For the road; just like you said, you have a long way to go."

"I-, I don't...why are you doing this?" Regina asked suspiciously, taking in the friendly look in the stranger's eyes.

"None of us here like the Romans; the soldiers have taken a lot from the people."

"What has that got to do with me?"

"Just my way of paying it forward." He smiled, then, and gave a small bow. "Your Eminence."

Regina's eyes widened in panic. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"A patrol of legionaries came by a few days ago, saying that a woman wanted for treason might pass through. They asked us to capture you, for a price of course." Regina pressed her lips into a thin line which is probably why Archibald felt compelled to continue: "Like I said, we have no love for your soldiers. Your secret is safe with us."

For some reason, Regina was touched by the complete stranger's kindness. With a nod, she turned to go, but halted after a few steps.

"Thank you," she said quietly, not even fully turning back to the man, and then walked away without a backwards glance.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

For the next day, Regina followed the road at a close distance, but still far enough that she would've been able to hide, had someone appeared. She avoided stepping on the biggest twigs in fear of attracting unnecessarily attention from the possible passers-by, and she was constantly glancing furtively around her to make sure no one was aware of her movements.

After two days of fairly slow traffic on the road, Regina was roused from her thoughts by the sound of horse's hooves galloping on the paved road. Quickly hiding behind a tree a little ways from the action, she cautiously peered around the trunk and watched as a group of legionaries came from the same direction she had come from herself. A horse neighed as the soldiers passed her hideout, and, soon, the horsemen were out of sight again.

With even more determination, Regina emerged from her hiding place; she must have been getting closer to her destination, the thought of which filled her with hope.

There was a small problem, however, when Regina noticed that the food was beginning to run out. As much as she hated the idea, it seemed like she would have to make a small detour to a city or village as soon as she came across one. Possibly revealing her location at the same time—knowing that the soldiers had been scouring the countryside in an attempt to find her understandably had her on edge—was somewhat distressing, but there really was no other option. Again, Regina truly wished she'd taken upon Emma's offer to teach her to track and hunt, so this predicament could've been avoided altogether.

As Regina, one afternoon, stumbled upon a smaller road which led away from the main fairway, she, in a whim, decided to follow it and see if it would, perhaps, lead to a settlement. After a mile or so, an ominous feeling she couldn't quite explain suddenly washed over her.

It was the smoke that Regina noticed first.

Picking up speed, the former Vestal rounded the last patch of trees and stumbled upon a scene she later wished she could wipe away from her memory.

The stench was absolutely revolting as Regina approached what she assumed had once been a small farming village. The stone well was the only thing that was still standing in the middle of it; she could see the charred foundations of wooden huts everywhere, and, as she walked closer, the bodies of people could be distinguished from all the destruction. Regina felt sick to her stomach, not entirely understanding what could've taken place here, but still realising the sheer terror that these villagers must have experienced. Breathing through the fabric of her palla, Regina bravely walked ahead, inspecting the damage in horror. She was brought to a halt when her attention was drawn to a very familiar looking flag which had been erected, as a warning for others, no doubt, in the middle of the destruction.

_The Romans did this._

At that moment, Regina felt the foundation of her life crack; suddenly, she wasn't so thoroughly proud of the empire she had spent most of her life serving. From early on, she had been taught that the outsiders were barbarians; that the real Romans were the most magnificent people of the known world. But, observing the cruelness and devastation around her, it was clear to Regina that her own people were capable of the same level of atrocities than those savages she had been warned of. She couldn't even fathom what could've possibly justified the scene in front of her.

Unexpectedly feeling ill, Regina stumbled backwards and scrambled away from the village, back into the woods. Hidden in the forest, away from the ravages of the fire, there were broken carts, random baskets and hay bales, abandoned in obvious haste. Between a pile of dirty clothes and a keeled over wagon, Regina threw up the remnants of her breakfast, coughing violently. Eventually, she could only dry heave, her stomach long since emptied. As Regina was able to stand up again, she wiped her mouth and took a few deep breaths, willing to get the nausea under control. She rinsed her mouth with water and forced herself to keep going, to get away from the nightmare.

No one should ever witness anything like that.

Regina didn't even see it at first, the little bundle wrapped tightly and placed in a wooden basket in the middle of the path. What did catch her eye was the body of a woman lying face down on the ground; she had been shot in the back with an arrow, obviously while trying to escape. Begrudgingly taking in the grotesque scene before her, Regina concluded that the woman must've dropped the basket in order to get away faster.

It was the tiny movements in said basket that, eventually, drew the former Vestal's attention away from the woman, and Regina gasped when she realised that she was looking at a small baby – a baby that was still very much alive.

It couldn't have been more than a month or two old; it looked a little sickly, eyes tightly closed and brow puckered, and Regina suddenly felt something move inside her. As if, in that instant, her life changed in a way she wasn't even quite aware of yet. Somehow, he had survived the destruction of the village, while most others hadn't been as lucky.

It seemed like the woman had given up the baby in order to save herself, and Regina felt a wave of rage rise within her. Carefully picking up the small bundle, she wondered what on earth she should do with it. Her trek towards Lugdunum was full of obstacles as it was; she most certainly didn't need to add a baby into the mix. At the same time, however, she knew she would never be able to leave him there, in the middle of nowhere, to be killed or eaten by gods knew what. That would be the most obvious option, the way the Romans always dealt with unwanted children, but Regina just...couldn't.

The baby was moving restlessly, and Regina cradled it more firmly against her. "This is such a bad idea," she muttered. As if the journey wasn't complicated enough as it was; it would definitely be even more challenging now.

However, Regina knew that she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't at least try and save the baby's life. That is why she took the palla of her Vestal outfit—the only item of clothing she still possessed from her Roman days—and wrapped it around herself, so that the baby was placed tightly against her chest. It stopped fussing, and, satisfied with the impromptu arrangement, Regina carefully picked up the rest of her things and headed for the road again.

_I am so going to regret this later._

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The wailing didn't stop, no matter what Regina tried to do. It was the second night in a row that she had desperately tried to get the little boy to sleep, but nothing seemed to be working. As long as they were on the move, he was fine, but the second Regina stopped for a break, the screaming began. She had never taken care of a baby, nor had she really ever seen anyone else do it, so she truly came up empty with ideas to make him calm down. They were almost out of milk, too, but at least she had been able to feed and change the boy; he definitely wasn't crying because he was hungry.

"Come on, please. I don't know what to do," Regina lamented, walking around the campsite she had hastily put together just before sundown.

Cradling the infant gently against her, Regina squeezed her eyes shut in frustration and prayed to whatever deity reigned over these parts for a magical intervention. The wailing went on, no matter what she attempted, and, close to tears of defeat herself, Regina sat heavily on the blankets next to the fire.

"I don't know what you want, little one," Regina said, running her finger down his tiny arm.

As she reached for the baby's hand, he grabbed hold of her finger with his own tiny ones, and something unbelievable happened: he stopped crying. Dumbfounded, Regina watched as he gradually quieted down, his features relaxing, and, after a few hiccups, he promptly fell asleep.

"That's it? That's all you wanted?" She gave an incredulous laugh, amazed by the ridiculously simple solution.

Rocking him gently, Regina settled down into her makeshift tent—she had definitely gotten better at constructing one—and gave a sigh of relief.

Taking care of a baby was a whole lot harder than Regina had ever imagined it would be. Not only had she not slept a wink during the past two nights (the baby sure had a strong set of lungs), but she had made inexcusably little progress in terms of getting to Lugdunum. The baby slowed her down more than she would've liked, and there was the distinct possibility lingering about that someone might hear him cry. Nevertheless, no matter how Regina turned the issue around in her head, she knew she could never just leave him in the wilderness.

Leaning her head against a tree that she had used as a supporting structure for the tent, Regina wondered if, perhaps, there was a reason she had never had any children with Leopold; maybe she wasn't meant to have any, because this obviously didn't come naturally to her. Glancing at the now fortunately sleeping baby in her arms, she came to the conclusion that the best chance he could have was with a nice family who could take care of him like he deserved. She would find a place, a good family, for him.

He deserved to have his best chance, and, Regina concluded, it certainly wasn't with her.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The following day, completely out of the blue, Regina stumbled upon a farmhouse, deep in the countryside of Gaul. From the woods, she observed the people working in the field, ploughing it so that the seeds could be placed there to grow.

Holding the baby closer to her chest, Regina figured that this could very well be the perfect place for him to grow up; a simple farming family with a nice enough piece of land, enough to produce quality crop. But, at the same time, there was another voice in the former Vestal's head, wondering how in the world Regina could be sure that they didn't sell him to slavery the first chance they got, or, worse still, simply didn't let him live at all.

Pressing her lips into a tight line, Regina sighed. No, she couldn't leave him here; simply because she needed more information about them, and, right now, there were more pressing issues to be dealt with – like getting to Lugdunum and finding Emma.

Besides, Emma would know what to do.

Nevertheless, Regina was in need of milk, as well as something to eat, which is why she didn't turn around but, instead, headed towards the farmhouse. She kept to the woods, making sure that the workers in the field didn't spot her, and approached the small byre type of a building that lay on the outskirts of the yard. Reaching it with little difficulty, she crept along the stone wall, towards the entrance of the cattle shed, and, once she was certain no one was watching, slipped inside. Much to her disappointment, there were absolutely no cattle, only a feeble-looking goat and a couple of chickens running around.

Placing the baby carefully on a bale of hay, Regina took the now empty milk flagon and, glancing towards the door once more, apprehensively regarded the doe. Well, it would have to do. She approached the doe, not having any idea of what she was doing, because, back in Rome, she had never even been this close to such lowly creatures in their natural habitat. Even during animal sacrifices, slaves always kept the animal from moving; she had simply cut them open.

This particular goat, however, was having none of it. Regina was able to walk right to it, but the moment she leaned down and reached for an udder in order to fill the flagon with the doe's milk, the animal would baa indignantly and sprint away. When the same scene had been repeated three times, Regina was practically fuming.

"Would you just hold still, you god-awful creature!" she hissed.

It didn't.

Running out of options, Regina glanced at the baby who, fortunately, was still asleep, and a thought popped into her head.

_Well, it wouldn't hurt to try._

Still somewhat cautiously picking him up, Regina neared the goat and slowly squatted down next to it. Bringing the baby close to a teat, he latched on almost immediately, and, miraculously, the animal remained still, simply glancing at the intruder impassively. Letting out a relieved laugh, Regina waited until the baby was done and then stood up, bringing him up against her shoulder.

As she waited for the usual burp, Regina pondered what she should do; she needed milk for the baby, and there was no telling when the next farmhouse might come her way. Her jaw set in slight annoyance; she turned to the goat again. Eyeing the mean-looking animal with antipathy, Regina eventually sighed in defeat; there really was only one way to go about this.

_Gods be damned._

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

For the umpteenth time since Regina had left her life behind in Rome, she wondered what her mother would say if she saw her at that moment: she was wading through a Gallic forest; a bow and quiver draped over her shoulder; a dagger attached to her thigh; a dead chicken hanging from a bag strap, a small baby wrapped tightly against her chest; and she was pulling a goat on a leash behind her.

Cora would surely spontaneously combust with horror. Regina found that she quite liked that image.

She had left money in the barn in exchange for the animals, but, still, stealing the source of someone's livelihood caused her conscience to peep up a tiny bit. In any case, she was now traipsing through the countryside with a goddamn goat in tow. At least it would provide the baby with milk until they reached Lugdunum.

However, Regina soon realised that travelling with a baby and a goat took even more time and effort than before, and she didn't get as far in the following days as she had hoped. She was sweating, cursing profusely under her breath, as the goat, once again, refused to move an inch, no matter how determinedly she pulled on the rope around its neck. For the millionth time since taking part in the grand opening of Rome's new, exquisite amphitheatre, Regina cursed the Fates for bringing Gladiator Swan into her life, because, really, in some twisted way this was all her fault.

Not that Regina truly would've changed how her life had evolved since that chance meeting; frankly, it was just easier to aim her frustration and vexation at the person who she, more than anything, wanted to see again. It made the, at times, unbearable sense of longing a little more bearable, because Regina absolutely refused to curl up in a ball and cry – something she, more often than she cared to admit, wished she could do.

It was with a heavy sigh that Regina settled down for the night. This time, she got the fire going fairly easily—she actually surprised herself—and the tent was up in no time, a couple of spruces serving as a support structure. It was becoming a routine by now, setting up camp and then feeding the baby. Once he was asleep, happy and content, Regina finally had time to sit down and enjoy the last bits of the chicken she had stolen from the farmhouse.

Regina was just about to lie down for the night herself when the baby woke up, demonstrating, once more, his ability to scream his lungs out. Regina routinely picked him up, prepared to let him grab her finger again in an attempt to calm him down, but he was barely against her chest when the crying already quieted down.

Regina stared at the baby, completely astounded at the turn of events.

"You're finally getting used to me, aren't you?" Regina murmured, amazed by the sudden affection she felt towards him. She smiled widely as the baby gurgled contently before settling down.

Indeed, Regina acknowledged that she was getting a tad too comfortable with this impromptu maternal role she had been playing; with every new day, the thought of leaving him somewhere felt just a little bit more distressing. And then there was the matter of Emma; as in, how she was going to explain this to her, because an infant certainly wasn't included in their original plan. Stroking the baby's soft cheek, Regina breathed out heavily; she would just have to cross that bridge when she came to it. Placing him carefully back in his makeshift cot, Regina couldn't help smiling sombrely at the innocence in front of her.

It was the sound of a twig breaking in two that roused Regina from her thoughts. A shiver went down her spine as she snapped her head up, her eyes vigilantly scanning the dark woods around the campsite. Her heart jumping into her throat, Regina slowly stood up, her ears straining to hear anything unusual. When another distinctive rustle carried over from the darkness, Regina knew she wasn't imagining it.

"Who's there?" she called out, the fearful tint in her voice more obvious than she would've liked.

From the blackness, three figures emerged, and paralysing fear took over Regina as they stepped into the light created by the crackling fire.

_Highwaymen._

Regina instinctively took a few steps to the right, placing herself firmly between the baby and the bandits.

The men were truly sinister-looking, with their shining swords and worn out clothes; one of them had a large scar on his cheek. Their overall dirty appearance and threatening postures were enough to convince Regina that she was in serious danger.

"Well, what do we have here?" one of the men asked mockingly. "What is a beautiful bird doing alone in the middle of nowhere?"

"What do you want?" Regina asked, feeling utterly cornered.

"Depends on what you have to offer," he continued, twirling a knife between his fingers.

"I bet she's on the run from her husband," the shortest of the three piped up. "Oh, I wonder if he's offered a nice, little bounty for ye head."

"I bet she's the runaway priestess they keep yapping about in town!" They all laughed at that.

"I think it's best if you'll come with us. Unless ye have something for us in return for your freedom," the first one stated, his toothless grin causing Regina to swallow.

"Stay back," she warned, but, unarmed and scared, she must've been a ridiculous-looking sight, because the men laughed heartily.

"What's your name then?"

"None of your damn business," Regina spat out.

"Feisty, I like that." The man who seemed to be their leader took a step closer, a sneer plastered on his face.

"Come on, Gallius; get on with it! We want our turn as well."

At seeing the scornful smile on the first man's face, Regina took an involuntary step back. He was getting closer now, clearly enjoying the panic that surely was present in her eyes. Eventually, he was within reach of her, about to forcefully grasp her arm, and Regina found herself reacting on pure instinct; pulling up the hem of her dress, her hand flew to the dagger which, nowadays, was always strapped to her thigh. Pulling the weapon free, Regina swung it towards the unsuspecting bandit with everything she had and felt the blade slide through something soft.

With a strangled cry, the man stumbled backwards, eyes wide, clearly startled by Regina's movements.

"You bitch," he ground out and groaned, doubling over in pain. He grasped his side and fell, knees first, to the ground.

The two other highwaymen took surprised steps backwards, not quite understanding what had just occurred. That gave Regina enough time to snatch the bow and one of the arrows from the ground next to her and, with shaking hands, uncouthly draw the spring back.

With wobbly movements, she aimed the arrow towards the two bandits still standing.

"Don't come any closer!"

The men recovered quickly, the previous amusement now long gone from their faces. Their injured companion slowly crawled away from Regina, all the while swearing heavily.

"Think you can handle a bow, woman?" One of the men sneered, apparently not at all fazed by Regina's mock bravado. He took a step forward. "It's a man's weapon."

Thinking back to the way she'd seen Emma use the bow, and to how the farmer, Archibald, had instructed her to correct her stance and technique, Regina took a deep breath. Correcting her stance, she brought the string closer to her face, her hands shaking uncontrollably. As the man still approached her, she released the string, and, against all odds, the arrow shot forward with surprising speed. It was hardly a good attempt, but, nevertheless, the arrow hit the man on the shoulder and sank into soft skin; the wound wasn't lethal, but he went down cursing, just like the first one.

"Please." Regina raised her arms in a surrendering gesture, aiming her plea to the third man. She reached for the small pouch at her hip that contained all the money that was still left. Ripping it off her belt, Regina threw the purse across the campsite, and it landed in front of the uninjured man. "Please, that's all I have. There's nothing else of value in this camp."

The man scowled at her, but bent down to collect the pouch anyway. "That's it? This is all you have to offer?" he jeered, unimpressed. His eyes slid slowly up Regina's body, causing the hairs at the back of her neck to stand up. "What if it's not enough?"

Hastily, Regina pulled another arrow from the quiver next to her, placing it clumsily against the spring and pulling it back. "Then you'll have to take a chance that I won't hit my target a second time in a row."

The man stared at her for a moment, grinding his teeth in obvious disgust. "You got lucky, wench. From now on, you'd better sleep with that bow in your hands, because, next time, I won't be as merciful." He bared his teeth. "I'm going to make you scream, woman, and not in a good way."

With that, he pocketed the few coins Regina had been able to provide and tilted his head slightly, gesturing to his two injured companions to follow suit. With furious glances aimed at the former Vestal, the two men limped after their friend, each clutching their injuries as they went.

Regina didn't lower the bow until a long while after, when she was absolutely certain that the men weren't coming back for her. Hands still shaking violently, she took a few ragged breaths and sprang into action; the blankets were easily folded, followed by the small bundle that held the remains of the food. She picked up the baby and wrapped the palla around them, making sure he was safely against her chest. Then she hoisted everything else on her back, grabbed the leash of the goat, and took off like lightning.

Regina wasn't entirely sure how long she stumbled along in the dark, only the faint moonlight as her guide; but she refused to stop, even if her arms and legs were full of scratches from rocks and branches she wasn't able to dodge. The feeling of utter terror still bubbled somewhere under the surface, which is how she managed to trudge on, despite the exhaustion. The former Vestal pressed on, the feeble, baaing protests of the goat falling on deaf ears.

After what felt like hours, the fatigue caught up with Regina with a vengeance, and she wasn't able to take one more step. Dropping down on her knees under a large spruce tree, utterly spent, she was just able to tie the leash of the goat around a branch before collapsing to the ground, the baby safely in her arms.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The unfortunate incident with the bandits made Regina falter a little in her steps, every crack and snap now sounding suspicious and threatening. But, even with the slower pace, she eventually reached a road sign which caused her to stand still, in the middle of the road, for a full minute. Elated by it, she hurried onwards.

It truly felt like a miracle. Panting heavily from a particularly strenuous hill climb, Regina gingerly sat down on a rock, the baby wrapped safely against her again. She took a long sip from her flagon and admired the view that spread out before her.

_Lugdunum._

Unexpectedly, she felt tears burn in her eyes, the magnitude of what she had just accomplished, quite on her own, sinking in. She had made it; she had actually survived the journey. She was so close to seeing Emma again, she could practically feel it; revelling in the feeling of accomplishment, Regina refused to acknowledge the fact that there was a possibility Emma had already been shipped forward. No, she was going to find the other woman in the camp, there was no alternative.

From her vantage point, Regina was able to see the city as it sprawled in front of her. It was on the West side where she spotted what she was looking for: a military camp. As the original camp had, eventually, turned into an actual city, a new camp for the soldiers had been constructed outside the city walls. She needed to stop herself from storming the camp right away, the knowledge that Emma was so close making her impatient. But, right now, she needed to ditch the damn goat.

For that reason, Regina soon stepped through the city gates of Lugdunum, risking her cover for the first time in weeks. Due to the unfortunate accident with the highwaymen, she was in dire need of money for supplies and food, and the goat was definitely the best option for acquiring some; besides, if she, somehow, managed to get Emma out of the camp, they most certainly wouldn't have the time to drag that ungulate behind them.

Pulling the hood over her head and making sure the baby was securely wrapped in her palla, Regina walked ahead in search of the marketplace. The goat bleated in protest on the cobblestoned streets, but the former Vestal was beyond caring at this point; all she needed to do was to get rid of it as soon as possible.

The city's marketplace turned out to be a busy hub for all sorts of trade and business, and Regina finally found the corner assigned for farmers from out of town. Eyeing the different stands, she settled upon an honest-looking man who was not only selling his own produce, but had several farm animals on display as well. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, Regina approached him.

"Ma'am," he greeted, nodding, as he spotted her.

"I would like to sell my goat."

The farmer looked at her suspiciously, clearly taking in Regina's, in all likelihood, somewhat haggard appearance; trekking through the wilderness tended to exhaust a person. Hugging the baby to her chest, she tried to look as miserable as possible in order to appear desperate, to make him take pity on her.

"Why do you want to sell it?" The farmer inquired, critically eyeing the thin animal.

"My husband is rather poorly, and I need money to buy some medicine, as well as food for the family," Regina lamented, shaking her head in mock sorrow. "This is the only way; we have no other sellable property."

"It's not in a terribly good condition," he said, indicating the goat on the other end of the leash.

"Please, I beg of you." Regina continued to sound desperate, pleading.

The farmer grunted and, after a while, relented. "Fine; but I'm not paying more than fifty denarii."

"Oh, thank you! You're incredibly generous, sir."

Money changed hands, and, after a quick tour around the rest of the marketplace, Regina walked rapidly out of the city with a torch under her arm, as well as a bag full of food and milk for the days ahead.

Slipping stealthily out of the gate, Regina made her way to a small brook she'd seen earlier and began following it in the opposite direction from the city and the legionary camp. She needed to find a good enough hiding place, somewhere she could leave the baby and most of her things while she was out scouting the camp. The place also needed to be secluded enough for them to hide in after Regina, hopefully, got Emma out, in case the other woman was too exhausted, or, gods forbid, injured to continue their journey. In all honesty, Regina had refused to think what the state of the other woman might be; she was all too familiar with the ways of the Roman army.

After a half an hour trek, Regina arrived at a small boulder formation which seemed to fit her criteria well enough. There was a spacious enough cave in the middle, and, if she found some spruce sprigs, she could tie them together and hide the mouth of the cave from possible outsiders. Satisfied with the chosen hideaway, she got to work.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

It was two hours later that Regina found herself in a situation she, honestly, never in her life had thought she ever would. It certainly wasn't something Regina had attempted before, not even when she was a child (her mother had absolutely abhorred such boyish behaviour), but she now found herself climbing, slowly but surely, up a large oak tree in order to take a peek inside the camp. Halfway up the tree trunk, her foot slipped, and she nearly lost her footing altogether, but, at the last second, she was able to grasp a nearby branch.

"Shit." At least she now had a new appreciation for Emma wearing trousers, because the task at hand would've been immensely easier with slightly less feminine clothing.

Hoisting herself up on a branch near the top, Regina was able to see over the fence of the camp and into the miniature city the legion had built inside. The structure was humongous, and, for the first time in a while, Regina began doubting the sanity of what she was planning to do. She momentarily closed her eyes; actually, there was nothing sane about attempting to break someone out of a Roman military camp, but, up until now, she'd had this glorified image of simply walking in and dragging Emma out of there. Seeing the vastness of the camp, and the masses of legionaries walking about, made her realise that she needed one heck of a plan.

Observing the movements in and outside the camp, Regina's attention was drawn to a lone soldier who, on regular intervals, appeared from around the corner of the camp and leisurely made his way along the entire south side wall of the structure. Every once in a while, he eyed the woods to make sure nothing was amiss; that nothing was out of place, Regina understood.

As the soldier had done his round for the fifth time, an idea popped into Regina's head. Contemplating it carefully, she came to the conclusion that, of all the ways to attempt breaking into the camp, this one was probably the one least likely to get her killed within two seconds.

Her mind made up, Regina cautiously climbed down and headed for the cave, ignoring the small voice in her head which claimed all this to be a very bad idea indeed.


	16. Sixteen

**CHAPTER 16**

The following evening, after intently surveying the camp from the same spot on top of the tree, Regina put her plan in motion. Making sure that the baby was properly fed and comfortable in every way, she reluctantly wrapped him in the blankets and stood up to leave. On the spur of the moment, she leaned down and kissed him lovingly on the forehead, just in case she never saw him again. Praying to goddess Diana that he would be safe, Regina strapped the dagger around her thigh and wrapped herself in a dark-coloured cloak in preparation for the night ahead.

When, an hour later, Regina was peeking around a large pine tree at the camp in front of her, it truly dawned on her how insane this whole situation was; she was attempting to break into a Roman military camp and steal something from them – something important, to both parties. Again, had someone told the former Vestal this a year ago, she would've sent them to the arena to fight the wild beasts, unarmed.

But, here she was, about to add another entry to the growing list of reasons the emperor had to execute her. Not that it mattered, because it was worth it; _Emma_ was worth it.

From her hiding place, Regina watched as the guard she'd picked out, once again, made his way along the side of the fence, tightly grasping his spear. As soon as he was out of sight, Regina got into place, in wait for his next round. She lay down on the ground, gripping a large stone in her hand, and swallowed hard in order to get rid of the nervousness that burned in the pit of her stomach.

Regina only had once chance to get this right.

She didn't need to wait for very long, the footsteps giving the guard's presence away. Willing herself to stay still and remain calm, she waited patiently, motionless. The soldier approached her cautiously, and, soon, she felt the tip of the spear under her jaw. Slowly, the legionary kneeled down next to her, searching for a pulse, and that's when Regina sprang into action: quickly, she whacked him on the head with the stone, as hard as she could. The soldier swung back, disoriented, and Regina brought the stone to his temple again. With a heavy thump, he toppled over to the ground; a trickle of blood made its way down his nose, dripping to the ground.

Breathing heavily, Regina stared at the man that she had just quite severely injured and pushed down the emerging feeling of horror; she forced herself to get past the panic and got to work. With great effort, she was able to drag the man away from sight. Before tying his arms and legs together, she gingerly removed the man's clothing and put them on herself. She tied her hair above her head so that it wouldn't show underneath the helmet, and, finally, slipped the sword into its specially decorated sheath; if someone inside the camp recognised the sheath, she'd be in big trouble. Thinking, for the millionth time, that this was probably the worst idea in history, Regina snatched the spear from the ground and tried to walk calmly along the side of the camp, towards the north gate.

Not only did the new attire weigh a ton, making it difficult to move smoothly, but Regina was a slender woman whose body wasn't made for such masculine clothing; she could only hope that everything looked convincing enough. Also, there was the teeny-tiny problem of getting into the camp: she had no idea how to do that in practice (was there a password that needed to be uttered, or how did this work exactly?). The fence posts were so high, however, that there was no other way inside but through one of the four gates.

Drawing a deep breath, Regina forced herself to take the crucial steps which, inevitably, brought her out of the shadows and into the view of the North Gate's guard. Adapting the most confident pose that she could muster and keeping her head slightly bowed, Regina made a saluting gesture towards the guard and hoped for the best.

"Marcius!" Regina's step faltered. "Sure took you long enough," the man in the tower grunted and signalled for the gate to be opened. "Everything in order?"

Waving impassively in reply, Regina watched as the wooden structure slowly inched open, her heart beating wildly in her chest. The darkness was clearly on her side as the guard didn't pay too much attention to her, and, briskly walking through the gate, she kept her eyes to the ground and headed purposefully towards the back of the camp.

Slowly but surely, Regina made her way towards the _Quaestorium_ at the rear of the garrison where she knew the prisoners and hostages were kept – for once, she was glad Titus had often requested her presence in the mind-numbingly boring audiences, because now she knew the basic layout of a military camp. The few soldiers that walked past didn't seem to pay much attention to her; most of them were clearly under the influence and too busy laughing amongst themselves to notice a random passer-by. Walking along the Commander's tent in the centre of the camp, Regina let out a sigh of relief when she finally saw the building with iron bars in the windows. She determinedly headed for it when someone stepped in front of her.

"Marcius, where have you been?" The soldier was clearly drunk. "We've been waiting forever. It's your turn to challenge Julius in Twelve Lines!"

The soldier put his arm around Regina's shoulders in a friendly gesture, and Regina involuntarily tensed. Panic took over her, her body unwilling to move. Confused at his friend's quietness, the legionary finally looked at her properly, his eyes widening as he _really_ saw Regina.

It was then that a glint of silver on the front of the soldier's tunica caught Regina's attention, piercing through the panic, and a wave of rage immediately washed over her when she realised what she was looking at. Emma's pendant, the one Regina had given her before Milan (she would have recognised it anywhere), was now fixed to the lapel of the drunken soldier's tunica like a fucking trophy. The former Vestal acted on pure instinct, anger coursing through her veins, and, as the man slightly stumbled back in surprise, Regina pulled out her sword and brought its hilt forcefully to the soldier's nose. A disgusting cracking noise could be heard, and the man went out like a light, dropping to the ground with a heavy thump.

This was obviously becoming a habit.

"Bastard," Regina spat out. Leaning over the now unconscious man, she snatched the necklace from his body. As her annoyance died down a little, she realised that she now had a small dilemma. "Shit, I didn't really think this through," she muttered grimly, wondering what to do with the nearly comatose soldier that was bound to attract attention; it was only a matter of time before someone would come looking for him.

There was no way she would be able to drag him away from sight, so the only option was to cover him up with the hay meant for the horses that she saw on the ground nearby. Hastily piling it on him, Regina looked around to make sure no one had seen her, and then sprinted to the prisoner building. With one, final glance behind her, she slipped inside.

To her relief, there were no guards there; a single torch burned on the wall, but it was enough for Regina to see where she was going. Walking purposefully to the sturdy metal bars, she urgently looked around the seedy cell and, finally, spotted the camp's only prisoner in the far corner. At seeing the blonde hair, such joy filled her heart that, for a moment, Regina almost forgot what she was there to do. Chained to the wall with thick shackles, Emma seemed to be unconscious, her head heavily drooping forward. Kneeling down in front of the lock in the cell door and praying that her skills weren't too rusty, the brunette produced two hairpins from the small pouch at her waist and got to work.

It was definitely harder than Regina remembered, and, frustrated, she wiped beads of sweat off her face. The helmet was making it difficult to see properly, but she couldn't risk taking it off in case someone happened to walk in on her.

"Goddammit!" she seethed, one of the pins breaking into the lock. Fishing a spare one from the pouch, she got to work again, trying to ignore the increasing feeling of hysteria.

This wasn't going the way she had planned; if the soldier out in the yard woke up, and the lock refused to open, the game was over. Suddenly, there were footsteps outside, and Regina froze. Her fingers wrapping almost painfully around the cool steel bars, she held her breath, waiting. No one entered, however; they only walked past the building, and Regina drew in a ragged breath.

After what felt like an eternity, there was a barely audible click, and the cell door creaked open. Regina practically ran to Emma's side. The grime and dirt covering the other woman's skin told Regina that Emma had obviously been in the cell for a while.

"Emma?" she whispered, but the blonde didn't stir.

Regina's eyes thirstily drank in the glorious sight in front of her; Emma was obviously hurt, the dried up blood on her face and arms a clear indication of that, but she was alive, and that was all that mattered to Regina.

"Emma!" She tried a little louder this time, shaking the blonde's shoulder.

There was a small groan, and Emma's eyes cracked open. A sharp intake of breath could be heard when the former gladiator realised who was hovering above her.

"Regina?" she asked weakly, her voice hoarse, eyes wildly darting around the room before landing on Regina again. "Are...are you real, or is this some cruel game the gods are playing?"

"No, I'm really here," Regina whispered, her vision suddenly blurring with tears.

There had been moments of utter despair, moments when Regina had truly thought she would never see the infuriating blonde again, and she couldn't quite believe that Emma was really there now. Trying to get rid of the lump in her throat, she inspected the bonds around Emma's wrists, bonds that were painfully digging into the skin, and inserted the hairpins into the first lock.

"You...came for me." The corners of Emma's mouth turned up into a small smile.

Stopping what she was doing for a second, Regina carefully cupped the side of Emma's face. "Of course I did," she said easily, allowing them both a short moment of elation before springing into action again.

When a small click sounded, and the rusty shackle around Emma's right wrist opened with a small screech, Regina could've yelled for joy. The other one was significantly easier, and, in only a few minutes, the blonde was free. Emma slumped against the wall.

"We have to go, Emma. Can you get up?" Regina grabbed Emma's arm, carefully avoiding the dark bruises around the wrist, and placed it around her own shoulders.

Emma tried to look up. "I don't know; I...I think so."

Pulling them upwards, Regina wrapped her own arm around Emma's midsection, and they warily stood up. Emma was leaning heavily on Regina, simply being on her feet was clearly a tremendous effort. They took a few steps forward, and Regina realised that it was going to be an excruciatingly slow journey across the camp, because Emma's legs were about to give out almost immediately.

As they reached the entrance of the prison, Regina peeked around the corner, making sure that no one was around; much to her relief, the pile of hay was still in place. As the coast was clear, she practically dragged Emma across the road and to the shadows of the Commander's tent. Beside her, the blonde was breathing raggedly, most of her weight resting on Regina's arms. It took an immense amount of time as they crept along, from tent to tent, right past the legionary and the cavalry tents, up until they finally reached the far left wall of the camp. Leaning against the wooden border fence, an idea suddenly popped into Regina's head, and the more she considered it, the more it became apparent that it was the best option they had of getting out without anyone paying much attention.

"Emma, I need to do something; you have to wait here." She momentarily tightened her hold of the blonde for emphasis.

"No...don't go," Emma protested feebly as Regina arduously lowered her to the ground.

"We can't get out otherwise; trust me," Regina said encouragingly and, when Emma gave a small nod in reply, she sprinted to the direction they had come from.

Slipping back into the prison building, Regina fetched the torch from the wall and then made her way to the right side of the camp. Hesitating only momentarily, she lowered the torch and let the flames catch the fabric of the legionary tent. As she was certain that the fire would take off, she repeated the action on the second tent, throwing the torch to the ground once she was done. She ran to Emma as fast as possible, because when the fire would eventually be noticed, there was going to be a moment of utter panic, and they needed to be ready to take advantage of it.

Regina didn't need to wait for long, because, soon, the first shouts coming from the other side could be heard. She saw the black smoke rising to the skies over the tents before her, the wave of near hysteria washing over the camp soon after; cries and yells filled the air as drunken men—some more so than others—ran around, saving everything they could and trying to put out the fire.

"Now, Emma!" Regina yelled over the commotion and began leading them towards the North Gate.

Clumsily, and keeping to the shadows, they made their way towards the gate, ducking out of sight whenever someone ran past them. Regina was sweating profusely, but she refused to ease the pace or to let go of Emma; she was going to get them out, there was simply no alternative.

The fire had obviously spread to the adjoining tents as well, and the sense of hysteria was spreading. Horses of the cavalry tent had escaped, and, with a quick and dangerous move, Regina grabbed the reins of one, effectively stopping its panicky flight.

"Emma, you need to get in the saddle!" Regina shouted over the clamour, urging the blonde towards the still agitated animal.

"Leave the...," Emma mumbled, her legs obviously close to giving up under her.

"For Juno's sake, Emma, if you're telling me to leave you here, I will slap you." Regina's tone was acerbic.

"No..." Emma's headshake was frail. "The armour... It's too...heavy."

Regina looked down at herself; Emma definitely had a point.

"Right," she acceded, helping the blonde close to the horse.

With the last bit of her strength, Emma pulled herself up, wobbling a little, but, fortunately, she managed to keep herself upright. Regina shed the helmet, as well as the shoulder and breast plates of her disguise, and, nimbly, hopped behind Emma. She grabbed the reins, digging her heels to the horse's side; the animal neighed and sprinted ahead along the North wall and towards its only opening. Keeping a hold of the reins, as well as Emma, was tiring, but Regina refused to let go; they were so close.

A random soldier spotted the runaway horse and attempted to stop them, but Regina didn't let it slow her down. Coldly running him over, she momentarily felt remorse, but then she remembered the injuries all over Emma's body, and rage bubbled inside of her again. She urged the horse to pick up speed.

The animal galloped towards the gate, and Regina hoped that the guard in the watchtower had done what was required of him in an event like this: opened the gate to give people a way out. As the luck would have it, the guard had done exactly that, and he was now too occupied with the raging fire on the other side of the camp to notice the strange couple on horseback, riding past. No one seemed to be there to stop their escape, and Regina mentally cheered, because they would certainly have a head start; there was no way the soldiers would know to begin looking for them until morning.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Regina pressed a wet cloth against Emma's forehead and carefully wiped the blood and dirt away; apart from the bruised lip, there was a long gash at the blonde's temple which Regina tenderly cleaned with vinegar. She wrapped a dressing around the worst cuts; the imprints of the shackles around Emma's wrists were still clearly visible.

They had ridden as fast as Regina had dared in the darkness of the night, reaching her chosen hideout after what felt like an eternity. They had barely made it off the horse before Emma had practically collapsed on the ground, completely exhausted and worn out by the ordeal.

For hours, Regina simply watched as Emma's chest rose and fell evenly, a clear sign that the blonde really was okay, apart from the sore-looking bruises all over her body. For the millionth time that night, Regina revelled in the knowledge that Emma really was next to her again, safe and sound, just as she was supposed to be.

It was the evening of the following day when Regina was shaken out of her thoughts by the blonde's quiet voice: "I could get used to waking up like this."

"Like how exactly? Injured and in pain?" Regina deadpanned, wetting the piece of cloth again and bringing it back to Emma's forehead.

"Your beautiful face being the first thing I see when I open my eyes."

"I'm sure anything's better after sweaty legionaries."

"Don't try downplaying my words, it's not working," the blonde croaked, coughing. Regina brought a flagon to her lips, which Emma gratefully accepted. She swallowed the liquid and winced as the movement clearly hurt her injured ribs.

Regina was quiet for a moment. "I can't believe you did what you did."

Emma pressed her lips in a thin line for a moment, trying to quell the pain. "There was no other way."

"When will you grow up and stop sacrificing yourself for me whenever I turn my back?"

"Never."

Regina blinked at the earnestness in Emma's voice, very much aware of how close to losing the other woman she had come.

"You left me alone," Regina admitted with a small voice.

With obvious effort, Emma sat up, her face momentarily contorted with discomfort. Getting her breathing under control again, she finally looked at the other woman.

"It seems," she began with difficulty, "that we're somehow destined to find each other, no matter what." Emma brushed a lock of hair away from Regina's eyes – a gesture the blonde seemed to be rather fond of. "I thought the legionaries were playing a sick joke on me when I woke up in that cell and saw you."

"No joke." Regina murmured, shaking her head.

"Definitely not."

Emma leaned forward, laying her head tiredly down on Regina's shoulder and pulling the woman in a loose hug. Like so many times before, Regina felt her entire being respond to the closeness of Emma, and, suddenly choked up, she carefully wrapped her own arms around the blonde, burying her face in the golden locks.

"I can't believe you broke into a military camp," Emma said when she eventually pulled back again. With slight difficulty, she leaned her forehead against Regina's, her breath hot against the brunette's skin.

"Well, you know. They had something of mine, something I wanted." It was the closest Regina had ever come to admitting out loud how much she actually wanted Emma around.

"And you always get what you want."

"Indeed I do."

"That was an incredibly stupid thing to do, though." Emma pulled back slightly, cringing, her hand grasping her side.

"Well, now you know how I feel whenever you do something utterly rash and insane."

Emma chuckled, but then sobered up. "You saved my life." Her eyes were full of wonder. "Thank you."

"You would've done the same for me." At Emma's raised eyebrow, she amended: "Okay, yes. You _have_ done the same for me. But...you're welcome."

"You really are something, you know that?" Emma reached for Regina's hand. "Not many would have done what you did."

"Well, you didn't leave me in the Alps to die either; I figured it was just fair to return the favour." Regina looked away, uncomfortable. "And, apparently, I'd much rather get through this...ordeal...with you."

"You actually missed me?" Emma asked, smiling, tilting her head and forcing Regina to look at her again.

Regina tried to look anywhere but at the blonde. "Maybe," she mumbled and cleared her throat, embarrassed. Then, she remembered something. "I...I have something for you." Pulling the pendant out of her pocket, Regina, almost shyly, handed it over.

Emma's mouth hung open. "Where did you find it? Someone took it from me; it was just gone. I was sure I'd never see it again."

"I, uh, came across it in the camp."

Emma smiled, the small, silver coin once again nestled against her palm. With a wince, she reached for Regina and brought the brunette flush against her. "Thank you, truly."

Regina snaked her own arms around Emma again, feeling her eyes tear up anew with relief. She held on tight, thoroughly relishing in the feeling of having Emma so close to her again.

It was at that point that the baby decided to make himself known and wake up; a small wail could be heard, and Emma jerked away from Regina, hissing in pain that the sudden movement caused. Eyes wide, Emma turned to the cot on the other side of the cave.

"Regina, is there something you want to tell me?"

The brunette got up from Emma's side and went to pick up the tiny bundle. Carefully, she cradled the child against her chest, and the wailing stopped immediately.

"There was a village that... I was on my way to Lugdunum... There was fire and destruction and...," Regina tried to explain, unable to look away from the precious boy. "He didn't deserve to die there," was what she, eventually, settled for.

"What are you going to do with him? Do you know a place nearby where you can leave him?" Emma asked, frowning. When Regina looked up, eyes determined, Emma immediately shook her head. "Regina, no."

"Just until we find a good home for him."

"No, absolutely not. He will slow us down! We have obstacles ahead of us as it is."

"Emma, this is not up for discussion," Regina stated with finality. "I'm going to find a home for him, and that's the end of it."

Emma opened her mouth, but then, obviously, decided against arguing. Sighing, she tiredly rubbed her forehead. "Fine, but we leave him the minute we find a suitable place."

Settling the baby back in his makeshift cot, Regina tenderly stroked his now plump cheek. With wonder, Regina realised that he had stolen her heart the moment she had laid eyes on him. She would find a good home for him; a home she herself never had.

"Gods, everything hurts," Emma muttered and gingerly lay down again, clearly exhausted. Then she asked: "Where are we, anyway?"

"Near Lugdunum of course," Regina said with a hint of sarcasm, stealing one last glance at the now sleeping baby before making her way back to Emma.

"We're off course, shit," Emma muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "What time of day is it?"

"Late evening."

"We need to get up early tomorrow, before sunrise, and get a move on. If the legionaries weren't determined to catch us before, they certainly will be now."

"There's a major road a few leagues north that we can follow."

"We'll have to race that horse as far as it's able to go." Emma's eyes irresistibly slid closed as she was clearly trying to force herself to stay awake. "Gods, I'm tired," she muttered.

"Just sleep," Regina said and made an attempt to get up from the blankets again.

"Please, don't go." Emma sounded almost pleading, and she scrabbled at Regina's hand.

"I'll just make sure everything's in order for the night; I'll be right back."

Reluctantly, Emma let go of her, and Regina rose. She peeked through the impromptu spruce sprig curtain that she had hastily put together the day before, satisfied to find the horse still close by where she'd left it after they'd returned from the camp. The torch just inside the entrance would give them light until the early morning hours, and after making sure it was placed firmly against the wall, she made her way to check up on the baby, one more time. He was sleeping peacefully, so Regina turned towards the blankets again, prepared to get some much needed sleep.

The brunette came to a halt, however, when her eyes landed on the woman she had desperately been searching for the past weeks. She was overcome by such a deep sense of relief and solace that she thought she might burst and, for the first time since breaking into that prison cell, Regina actually let the tears fall; she wasn't alone anymore, because Emma was actually here, right in front of her. The blonde was skinnier than before, exhaustion and various injuries marring her features, but she was alive; against all odds, Regina had got her back.

Emma seemed to sense Regina standing there, because she suddenly spoke up, without cracking open an eye: "Come here."

As soon as Regina had lain down on the blankets next to Emma, the blonde's arms enveloped her in an embrace Regina wasn't sure she ever wanted to leave. Pressing closer to the other woman while mindful of her injuries, Regina held on tight and finally let the stress of the day catch up with her; silent tears kept running down her face, seeping into the fabric of Emma's shirt.

"It's okay," Emma whispered in her hair, yet again, easily understanding what was going on in Regina's head.

_I thought I would never see you again._

_It's okay, I'm here._


	17. Seventeen

**CHAPTER 17**

In the morning, several hours before sunrise, they were prepared to get on the road again. Emma had insisted that they continue, rather than hole up in the cave in fear of being discovered by the surely enraged legionaries. Hoisting herself up in the saddle, Regina held the baby against her chest with one hand, reaching out for Emma with the other. With some difficulty, Emma got on the horse behind Regina and wrapped her arms around the brunette's midsection with an already exhausted sigh.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Regina asked; Emma was clearly dead tired and in pain. "Last chance to back out."

"Not going to happen. Lead the way, _soldier_."

Regina harrumphed, her cheeks colouring slightly at the mention of her earlier outfit. With just a tad of indignation, she nudged the horse with her heels, the animal immediately dashing forward.

They rode as fast and as far as the horse was able to, taking small breaks at regular intervals, so that Emma could rest, and Regina could change the dressings of the blonde's various injuries. Despite the occasional timeouts, Emma was still nearly dead on her feet when they set up camp that evening; she promptly fell asleep on the blankets while Regina was still tightening the ropes of the tent. Once the former Vestal was ready for bed, she stretched out next to Emma and, after only a slight hesitation, turned to the other woman, snaking an arm around her waist. Even asleep, Emma's arm found its way around Regina, pulling her closer, and, with a grateful sigh, the brunette lay her head down on Emma's shoulder.

The following days went by in a similar manner, as Emma, little by little, gained back her strength. By the end of the week, they were already making good progress and taking far less breaks; though the former gladiator still slept more than normal.

"Wait," Emma suddenly interjected when she woke up from a slumber one evening. "Have you-, have you been setting up a tent for us every night?" She blinked rapidly, as if being aware of her surroundings for the first time.

"Yes." Regina's brow furrowed in confusion.

Emma regarded her with something akin to awe, causing Regina to fidget uncomfortably under the steady gaze.

"Wow," Emma managed, shaking her head.

"What?"

"I don't think the old Regina would have done that, ever."

Regina snorted. "No, she probably wouldn't have," she mused.

Emma's eyes lifted to the flames that were roaring close by and keeping them warm. "And a fire; you made a fire!" Eyes wide, her gaze shifted back to Regina again. "What is happening here?"

"It took me a while to get to Lugdunum," Regina stated elusively, shrugging, as if it explained everything. And, well, it sort of did.

"I...I never thought about that," Emma admitted. She sat up, placing her hand on Regina's arm in compassion. "I'm sorry, I never realised that."

"Well, I think you still had it worse than me." Regina gave a humourless laugh, her eyes fixed on the campfire. She felt Emma let go of her arm, and, soon, the blonde's fingers were on her jaw, bringing Regina face to face with her again.

"I can't imagine what it must've been like; being alone in the wilderness like that."

Regina opened her mouth, about to say something, but no words stumbled forth. She was left there, staring awkwardly at Emma. Eventually, she settled for an uncomfortable shrug.

"How did you get by in the woods?" Emma leaned forward. "How did you manage to feed the baby all on your own?"

Regina stared at the quizzical look on the blonde's face. "I might've had a goat," she finally said in a rush, her cheeks burning.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" Emma's eyebrows rose high on her forehead.

"I, kind of, stole a goat, okay?" Regina said exasperatedly. "I needed milk for the baby, and that seemed like the only reasonable option at the time."

Emma blinked a few times and then she just, apparently, lost it. Doubling over, she was howling with laughter as Regina seethed nearby, a thunderous look on her face.

"I'm sorry," Emma barely managed, wiping her eyes. "It's just that the mental image is priceless."

"It's not like I had a choice!" Regina grumbled.

"Oh, I think what you did shows great ingenuity," Emma appraised. "It's just really hilarious."

Regina sulked, her face still red as a beetroot.

"I'm sorry." Emma's laughter finally dying down, they kept gazing at the flames in front of them.

"You actually learned how to make fire," Emma, after a while, said with veneration.

Regina scratched the back of her head, slightly abashed. "I'd seen you do it."

Emma shook her head. "You're amazing, you know that?"

The moment stretched on, their eyes never leaving the other's, and Regina suddenly had a very good inkling of where this was heading; as Emma slowly leaned closer, the brunette subconsciously licked her lips in anticipation. When Emma was mere inches away from her, a loud cry erupted from the other side of the tent, instantly breaking the spell of the moment. They jumped apart, both somewhat bemused by the invisible pull which obviously hadn't disappeared while they had been separated.

Running her hand almost diffidently through her hair, Emma took a deep breath, as if to steady herself.

"You know," she began, clearing her throat. "I think it's time to say goodbye to Gold."

"Excuse me?" Regina's brow knit together in bewilderment. She knelt down next to the baby who was still wailing forlornly.

"The horse; I named him Gold."

"Of course you did." Rolling her eyes, Regina took the baby's hand in her own, and he immediately grasped her finger.

"Come on, Regina. It's funny!" Getting no response from the other woman, Emma groaned, disappointed. "Anyway, I think it's best if we continue on foot; for a little while, at least."

"It is easier to stay out of sight," Regina agreed and picked up the baby, bringing him with her to the blankets.

Emma visibly startled when Regina sat next to her, leaning away from the other woman a little. She attempted to cover her obvious reaction by bowing down and throwing more wood into the fire, but Regina's eyes narrowed anyway.

"What was that?"

"What was what?"

"Stop playing dumb. Are you scared of this baby?" Regina asked incredulously.

"No!" Emma answered, a little too quickly.

"No?"

"No, I just... I don't know how to act around them."

"No time like the present to learn," Regina pondered and made a gesture of handing the baby over.

"No, it's all right." Emma actually moved a few paces away from the brunette.

"Seriously?" Regina asked, utterly unimpressed.

"I'm just not the maternal type, I guess." Emma shrugged, eyeballing the baby in Regina's arms suspiciously.

"It's not that difficult." Regina shrugged. "Not like conquering Germania; apparently."

Emma let out an amused noise. "Did our magnificent Vestal just crack a joke?"

"Former Vestal; by now, I think it's safe to say that the empire and I are finally divorced." Regina raised her eyebrows meaningfully. "Anyway, I can joke; I have many skills."

"Obviously." Emma shook her head. "Anyway, I simply think it's better if you take care of that department." she emphasised her point by making a rough gesture towards the now still bundle in Regina's arms.

"Suit yourself."

As Emma, with an apologetic smile, scooted away and separated herself from Regina even more, the former Vestal couldn't help the pang of disappointment that hit her without warning; she didn't wish to analyse why exactly she wanted nothing more than for Emma to accept the baby.

For a while, there was an easy silence between them again, until Emma turned to Regina.

"I'm sorry."

Regina stared at the other woman in confusion. "For what?"

"For what I said, that one night, back in the cabin." Emma scratched her forehead, embarrassed. "It was...unfair, and I stepped over a line."

Regina turned her eyes away, remembering that particular night like it was yesterday; Emma's accusation, uttered several moons ago, still made her heart clench painfully.

"I just...I've thought about that a lot since and..." The blonde sighed, as if collecting herself. "I have always decided my own fate; done what I wanted. I don't take well to people telling me what to do, controlling my life."

The former Vestal couldn't help the amused snort. "Emma, you were a gladiator."

"Yeah, and after every speech from Gold, telling me how I was his property, how I needed to do exactly what he told me to, I was more determined to win, so that I could eventually get my freedom and stick it to him. That one sort of backfired, though." Emma glanced somewhat timorously at Regina. "When I was captured by the legionaries, all those years ago, it happened because I had defied a direct order from my father; he commanded us not to pursue the fleeing soldiers across the river, but I did, because I thought I knew better. I was convinced that there were no other patrols in the area; that hunting down the remaining legionaries would be easy. Obviously, I was wrong; my father came after me and was halfway across when I was captured and dragged away in chains. So, I didn't even obey my own father; that's how much I have trouble tolerating someone ordering me around and telling me what to do. I'm stubborn, and that's why it all simply boiled over, that night." She chuckled sadly.

"You knew the kind of person my mother is and you still made the comment that you did." Even after all this time, it still hurt, tremendously; more than Regina thought it would.

"Because I knew it'd rattle your cage," Emma admitted, ashamed. "I know all this is a lousy excuse, but it's all I've got."

"Well," Regina began, feeling awkward, "I did slap you, so..." Emma smiled at that. "And it actually wasn't my intention to shut you out, not really," she continued quietly. "It's really difficult for me to open up to people; it's just easier to have the last word."

"I know exactly what you mean." Emma nodded. After a moment, she continued: "And, just so you know, I really don't think you're like your mother."

"You know, I kind of am." Regina's shoulders sagged, defeated.

"If you were, I doubt we'd be here right now." Emma studied the other woman intently. "Or, at least, I wouldn't."

Regina gave a small smile. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

Emma's assessment somewhat reassured Regina, and she sighed, feeling lighter than she had in ages. "I'm...I'm going to take the baby back to his bed."

"Okay." Emma inhaled deeply, clearly relieved the current discussion was over and done with. "I'll go and scout the grounds a little; I'll sleep easier."

Regina watched as Emma marched to the other side of the camp, picking up her sword as she went. Just as she was about walk into the darkness, Regina piped up: "Emma, wait." The blonde looked at her expectantly. "I just thought you should know that I...I don't think you're a barbarian. I mean...not anymore."

She expected a grin, a teasing remark, perhaps, about how Regina only needed to see the blonde running through the woods after a deer in order to change her mind. But, instead, Emma looked at her with such wonderment that Regina actually swallowed.

"Thank you," Emma finally said earnestly, and, with that, she was gone.

Regina's heart fluttered curiously in her chest.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Within the following week, Emma was, almost, back to her old self – and Regina mentally sighed in relief. They reached Divio, but mutually decided against going into town in fear of being spotted; besides, they, more or less, had all the things they needed in order to survive in the wilderness. Emma had reclaimed her bow and quiver—she had been beyond ecstatic upon realising that Regina had actually taken it with her from their hideaway in the Alps—for which Regina was thoroughly relieved, because she had never quite mastered it as a weapon. Not to mention that Emma was, apparently, also less apprehensive of running through the bushes and mud after game.

It was after one such hunting trip—Regina assumed, because Emma's shoes and ankles were covered in something disgusting—that Emma marched back into their camp with a triumphant smile on her face. Behind her, she dragged a fairly majestic-looking deer.

Indeed, the animal was a beauty, and Emma was clearly proud of her catch.

"Impressive," Regina allowed, eyeing the carcass with satisfaction; there was enough meat to last them a week.

Emma's pleased smile widened a notch at the compliment.

As always, Regina was in charge of the meat collecting, so Emma happily left Regina to her own devices and sat down to maintain the spring of her bow. They worked in companionable silence, until the baby had, apparently, had enough of sleep and decided to make his presence known by screaming his tiny lungs out.

Emma kept staring, stumped, at the noisy bundle a few feet away from her.

"Would you just pick him up?" Regina asked, exasperated, her hands covered in the animal's insides.

"Me?" Emma asked incredulously.

"Yes, you." Emma eyed the baby uncertainly. "He's not going to bite."

Emma huffed. "I've never-, I told you, I don't know what to do with a baby."

"For the love of Vesta, would you just pick him up? I'm sure you can manage that." Regina didn't feel like pointing out that she'd been just as lost when she had first stumbled across the child.

Gingerly, Emma lifted him up and ended up looking like she was holding a poisonous snake. If possible, the wailing only increased, and Emma flinched at the piercing sound.

"Regina, it's not working." The blonde attempted to move him around a bit.

"Well, no wonder; you're bouncing him like a goddamn ball. He's a baby, be gentle."

Emma held on to him more tightly, slowly walking back a forth. "Come on, kid," Regina heard her mutter.

The crying went on.

"Regina?" Emma practically pleaded.

"Give him your finger to hold on to, that usually calms him down."

Emma took a hold of the baby's hand, and he immediately latched onto her finger. Emma's eyes widened in astonishment as he, after a few hiccups, sighed and quieted down; the blonde's demeanour changed almost immediately.

"Regina! Do you see?" Emma whispered excitedly, the baby already fast sleep in her arms. "He stopped crying."

"Indeed."

"You just needed to hold on to me, huh?" Emma cooed, the smile on her face so radiant and infectious that Regina felt the corners of her own mouth twitch.

"Wasn't that hard, was it?" Regina teased, washing her hands, the meat neatly cut and salted in order to preserve it. She then sat down next to the blonde.

"I can't believe I got him to stop crying," Emma said in awe, rocking him slowly back and forth.

"Yeah, you're just not maternal at all."

"I'm not!"

"Never would've guessed, looking at you know."

"Apparently, people can find new sides in themselves."

"Apparently."

Suddenly, Regina wasn't sure if they were even talking about the baby anymore, and when she chanced a glance at Emma, she was met with a strange look on the blonde's face, a look she wasn't quite able to decipher.

Emma visibly gulped. "Regina, there's something I-,"

The baby decided, at that moment, that he'd had enough of Emma for now and began screaming at the top of his lungs, causing both women to jump.

"Oh, sweet Nerthus, take it!" Emma practically thrust the baby to Regina who accepted him with certain movements, and, within no time, he was calm again.

"You're a pro," Emma said with obvious admiration.

"I've had practise," Regina murmured.

Emma haltingly leaned towards the baby again and took his tiny hand in hers, hesitating only a little. Instantly, the baby grasped her finger, and Emma gave a soft gasp. There was a look of such amazement on the former gladiator's features that Regina momentarily forgot everything else, spellbound by the myriad of emotions she witnessed. Ridiculously, Regina wanted Emma to wrap her free arm around her, to bring her closer to the blonde, as they gazed down at the tiny miracle in Regina's arms.

Swallowing hard at the strange fantasy her brain had conjured up, Regina tore herself away from it and rapidly stood up. Emma let out a small sound of protest, but the brunette ignored it. Instead, she slowly walked across the campsite and placed the baby back in his cot.

Softly stroking the baby's dark hair, Regina looked at Emma from underneath her lashes and saw that the other woman had turned to stare at the fire, deep in thought. It went on for a while, but, eventually, Emma seemed to become aware of her surroundings again, her eyes fluttering as she took a deep breath. Regina looked away, afraid of being caught staring, so she missed the mixed look of tenderness and longing on Emma's face as she glanced at the former Vestal.

Regina heard Emma clear her throat and looked up, seeing the blonde throw the last of the night's firewood into the flames. Emma stood up, and that's when their eyes locked again. There was a hint of that strange look on the blonde's face that she had witnessed earlier and, for a moment, Regina expected Emma to walk to her and finish whatever it was that she had nearly started. But, instead, Emma gave a wary smile and gestured vaguely towards the small pond a little ways away.

"I'm going to go wash up and then head for bed," Emma informed her quietly

"Okay."

Regina watched Emma's retreating back, wondering what exactly had almost transpired between them.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Soon after Divio, they stumbled upon yet another farmhouse, nestled in an obviously fertile valley in the Gallic countryside; despite the recent, unusually dry months, the crops had still grown to an impressive height. It was for that reason that neither woman felt that bad for "borrowing" two horses from the large corral adjacent to the largest field of wheat. They did leave a fairly large sum of money as compensation—most of what Regina had left—as well.

They had, slowly but surely, made their way as far as possible by foot, and, now, it was time to pick up speed again. Galloping fast through the valley, they set their sights on Lingones, hoping to reach it within a few days with the help of their newfound horsepower.

The general atmosphere between the two women had somehow improved as well after Emma had gotten over the worse of her fear of the baby. Despite the abrupt end to his peaceful sleep in Emma's arms the first time around, it turned out that the baby's finger-grasping trick was just as effective with Emma as it had been with Regina; since then, whenever Emma could, she now eagerly picked him up and walked around the campsite with him in her arms. She would bounce him and pull funny faces, making him laugh delightedly, which, in turn, brought an easy smile to Regina's lips. As strange as it was, Emma was actually incredibly good with him; not like Regina was going to admit that out loud, though.

It almost felt as if everything was perfect – until Emma went hunting again one evening.

The blonde didn't roam the woods for long and she, eventually, sauntered back to their current hideout empty-handed. "Sorry, no game tonight, but I did come across a nice apple tree," Emma said apologetically and produced a couple of apples from her bag. She bit into one and threw the other across the campsite to Regina.

The brunette caught the fruit with ease, but her face instantly drained of all colour. She was rooted to the spot, unable to move a muscle, and the silence eventually drew Emma's attention back to her again.

"Regina?" Emma asked, frowning, as she saw the brunette's wide-eyed and shocked appearance.

As Emma took a step forward, it finally sprang Regina into action; she dropped the apple on the ground and practically ran out of the camp, almost to the edge of the clearing they were staying in. She was pacing frantically when Emma reached her, confusion spread across the blonde's face.

"Regina?" Emma tried again, this time keeping her distance.

"Why did you do that?" Regina exclaimed, squeezing her hands into tight fists. Her eyes blazed with pure fury.

"What did I do?" The perplexing tone in Emma's voice was obvious.

"You, apparently, didn't learn anything from my culture back in Rome, because otherwise you would've been more considerate!"

"Spit it out, Regina. How did I manage to upset you in a span of a candle flicker?"

"You honestly don't realise that you just proposed to me?" Regina stopped then, quickly turning to Emma, her eyes piercing.

"I-, I did what?" Her voice raising an octave, Emma's eyes widened comically.

"You threw me an apple," Regina explained.

"And?"

"And? And? In Rome, that is as good as popping the goddamn question!"

"Wow, I had no idea."

" _Obviously._ "

"Okay, but why are you so beside yourself over a silly mistake? You know I didn't mean it."

Regina pressed her lips in a tight line, realising that she had talked herself into a corner. The two women stared at each other in silence for several moments, before Emma's sharp intake of breath broke the spell.

"Oh, my gods," Emma suddenly breathed out. "You would've said yes; your instinct was to say yes."

Regina actually scowled. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Is it so terrible?" Emma asked, tilting her head to the side. "Feeling something for me?"

Regina looked away, uncomfortable, but Emma wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Regina, answer me, please."

"Feelings make us weak, which is unacceptable." Regina repeated from memory. She dared look at the blonde, then, and felt her reserve falter slightly at the look in Emma's eyes.

"Are you still thinking that? Don't you get it by now, Regina?" Emma shook her head. "I've said it before: it's the total opposite of that; it makes you stronger."

The brunette snorted.

"I'm serious," Emma continued. "For Jupiter's sake, you broke into an army camp for me. You broke me out of prison, Regina!"

The silence was deafening to her. The former Vestal took a few ragged breaths and did the one thing she was good at doing whenever her emotions got the best of her: she eliminated herself from the difficult situation.

"I'm going to go check on the baby," she said flatly and turned to go. Before she was out of earshot, however, Emma spoke, making Regina falter in her steps.

"Are we seriously going down this road again? You deciding when a topic is exhausted?" Emma asked, disappointed. "I thought we were past that."

"Emma, don't."

"Honestly, Regina. We're so past that by now." There was a pause. "And if, some day, you're ready, you should know that I'm already utterly and hopelessly devoted to you." Emma's voice was quiet, but it carried over to Regina as clear as day.

Without turning, Regina squeezed her eyes shut tightly for a moment and then walked briskly to the campsite without a backward glance. Inside her, a storm was raging.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Things felt a little awkward after the whole apple debacle; though, mostly to Regina. If Emma was bothered by the events, she didn't let it show; then again, they didn't really talk as much as before the apple anyway. Regina found that she was walking on eggshells around the other woman, constantly reminded of her ridiculous reaction to Emma's faux-proposal.

With her marriage to Leopold, there had been no choices to be made, because everything had been decided for her; she was made to marry him, no matter how much she had tried to protest it to her mother at the time. Similarly, her duties as a Vestal had, whether she had liked it or not, tightly tied her to the empire; there simply hadn't been any other possibilities. But, now, she was, apparently, so comfortable with having Emma around that her mind had conjured up some elaborate fantasy about sharing her life with the blonde in more ways than one.

Regina recalled Emma's quiet declaration from nearly a week ago, said almost shyly, but with utter sincerity. The memory made her momentarily lose her grip on the pan she was holding, and it clanked unpleasantly against one of the stones encircling the fire. The baby made a small sound, roused from sleep by the noise, and Regina inwardly cursed her clumsiness. But, before she could worry about waking him, Emma appeared from behind the trees, quickly dismounting as the horse reached the campsite.

"Regina, pack up. We need to go," Emma said hurriedly, already rolling the blankets and hoisting them on the horses' backs.

"Emma, what's going on?" There was a wild look in Emma's eyes, a look she had only seen once before, in a cabin near the Alps.

"There's a patrol of legionaries."

"How close?" Regina threw the pan into her saddle bag, followed by a bundle that contained the remnants of their food. She began kicking sand into the fire.

"About five leagues."

"Five leagues?" Regina asked incredulously, halting her movements.

"You never know, we need to play it safe."

"They're five leagues away!" Regina protested.

Emma turned to her with a hardened look on her face, and Regina actually took an involuntary step back. "We're going, Regina."

Regina opened and closed her mouth a few times before she was able to utter: "Okay."

They rode fast—faster than Regina thought was safe—through the forest, darkness swallowing their surroundings, little by little. It must've been at least an hour before Emma agreed to slow down and find a new place to sleep for the night. They came upon a suitable rock formation, next to which Emma rebuilt their tent and Regina made a fire.

After the brunette had put the baby to sleep, tucked him in his usual spot in the corner of the tent, she walked outside to find Emma sitting by the flames, face buried in her hands. Regina regarded the other woman for a while, unsure of what to do, but, finally, she decided to follow her instincts.

"Emma?" Regina asked, sitting next to the blonde.

"I'm fine," was the automatic response.

"They won't find us," Regina said quietly, easily guessing what had Emma so off-kilter. Uncertainly, she placed her hand on Emma's arm and squeezed reassuringly.

Before Regina knew what was happening, Emma turned quickly and wrapped strong arms around her. Feeling the urgency in the other woman's touch, Regina understood that Emma needed this quiet moment to regroup, and, surprising herself a little, she found herself returning the embrace rather easily.

"No, they won't; I won't let them," Emma finally spoke up, her voice muffled. Gingerly, she pulled back, rubbing her face tiredly.

"I know." Regina nodded, the corner of her mouth tilting up a little. Her eyes were suddenly drawn to the still clearly visible scar at Emma's temple.

"Sharp edge of a rock," Emma said quietly.

"What?"

"The scar," Emma explained, tracing her fingers along the side of her face. "I was, uh, pushed and I fell; hit my head."

Regina was fairly certain that 'pushed' was quite the embellished version of the events; just the thought of how Emma must've been treated during her imprisonment caused her to feel ill. "I...I'm sorry I never asked."

"I'm not sure I would've answered." Emma offered a sad smile.

"Was it...was it horrible?" It was an inane thing to ask, but Regina didn't know what else to say.

Emma glanced at her. "Yes," was the blunt reply. She seemed to, unconsciously, rub her wrist; the bruises around it were fading, but still very much noticeable.

"I'm so sorry," Regina whispered.

"You're hardly to blame, Regina."

"I'm not so sure about that. You sacrificed yourself-,"

"Because I always protect the people I care about; I'm stubborn, remember?"

Their eyes met, then, and, for a fraction of a second, Regina was transported back to Rome and to that one moment in the bathhouse when she had first sensed the curious frisson between them. That same frisson transpired, once again, and Regina audibly gasped at the magnitude of it.

"Regina, I need to tell you something." The emotion in Emma's voice was a clear indication of what was to come.

It wasn't something Regina could deal with right now; not yet.

"Can't it wait? I'm awfully tired." Dusting imaginary dirt off her skirt, Regina stood up and turned to go.

"No, it can't."

"Well, I insist. It's been a long day and-,"

"Shut up, Regina."

"I beg your pardon?" Regina's jaw set with defiance, and she whirled around to face the blonde again.

"You know perfectly well what I mean to say."

"Let's just not do this right now."

"I love you."

Regina's face fell, actually hearing the words said out loud made them that much more powerful.

"Please, don't," the brunette pleaded, a whirlwind of emotions brewing inside of her.

"No, I'm sorry. I need to say this." Emma didn't back down. She stood up as well and slowly walked to stand in front of Regina. "I nearly died in that camp, Regina. I was certain that the legionaries would execute me eventually, that my life was very much over and done with. You asked me once if I ever regretted anything, and I said that I didn't. Do you know what I realised as I was lying in that godsforsaken prison cell, waiting for the inevitable?" Emma took yet another step closer. "I realised that the only thing I regretted in life was that I didn't tell you properly that I...I love you, that I have loved you for a very long time."

"Emma, I-,"

"No, I'm not finished." Emma's eyes were so intense that Regina felt a shiver go down her spine. "I love you, Regina." The blonde smiled. "Hissy fits and all." Regina scowled at that. "I love you, because everything about you fascinates me, thrills me. Just looking at you makes my heart skip a beat.

"I di-,"

"No, still not done. I'm not saying this because I expect you to say it back. In fact, you shouldn't ever say anything you don't mean. I simply want you to know that I'll be there for you, no matter what, and you will never need to doubt that."

Regina felt tears burn her eyes; Emma, once again, being the cause of her emotional turmoil. Before she had time to comment in any way—and, in reality, she didn't know if she would've even been able to—Emma let her out of her misery.

"I will never bring this up again, because the last thing I want to do is to make you uncomfortable. I just had to do it for myself, this one time. I hope you can understand that," Emma explained, bending her knees slightly, so that she could catch Regina's eye. "And now, I am going to leave this conversation, so that you don't feel the pressure to think of something to say."

Slowly leaning forward, Emma gave Regina a soft kiss on the cheek. And, with that, Emma took a step back and turned on her heels, leaving an emotionally distraught Regina standing next to the roaring fire.


	18. Eighteen

**CHAPTER 18**

To Emma's credit, she kept her word. She didn't bring up the issue again; instead, she gave Regina space to deal with it all on her own. It was irrelevant that Regina didn't quite know how to deal with it, and that's why she reverted back to the only way of life she had truly ever known: ignoring the obvious feelings and emotions that made her uncomfortable. She hastily stuffed the anxieties in a box and buried it deep within her brain; essentially, she pretended that Emma's confession had never happened.

It was just easier that way.

Much to Regina's relief, Emma didn't act any differently towards her than before. Things hadn't become awkward between them; rather, their lives continued in much the same way, as they slowly trekked their way through the Northern provinces of Rome.

One evening, Regina had, once again, produced the sewing kit from her bag, because she needed to work on the various tears in both of their clothes. Since that first, unfortunate attempt at sewing, Emma had happily left that particular chore to Regina.

Emma walked slowly around the campsite, rocking the baby gently in her arms, trying to put him to sleep.

"We should probably start searching for a place," Emma said quietly, her tone obviously flat. "For...him, I mean."

The baby gurgled in the blonde's arms, and Emma smiled sadly. Regina actually stopped what she was doing, the idea of leaving him behind hurting more than she had thought it would.

"Yes, I suppose we should," Regina managed, resuming the mending of the dress. She found that her fingers were actually trembling.

"There is a farmhouse, a few leagues north of here. I saw it when I scouted the grounds earlier."

"Is there?"

"Mmh, maybe we should check it out."

"Yeah, maybe."

There was a strange kind of tension between them after that, a sombre feeling that Regina wanted to escape as soon as she was done with the dress. She put the sewing kit away and decided to go wash up in the nearby brook, that way putting some distance between herself and Emma.

Regina truly hadn't realised how attached and accustomed to the newest addition to their strange group she had become, but the thought of giving him up made her heart clench painfully. Frustrated, she pulled the skirt over her head, throwing it carelessly to the ground, and squatted next to the brook. Sprinkling cool water on her face, she tried, without much success, to reassure herself that leaving the baby to a loving family truly was the best possible course of action.

Slowly washing up, Regina allowed herself to wonder, for just a moment, what it would feel like if she kept him instead and settled down in a province somewhere, raising him as her own. The thought was most alluring, but then it occurred to her that she probably wouldn't be able to offer much of a life to him – she would always be looking over her shoulder, afraid of what the emperor (not to mention her mother) might do to him if the soldiers ever caught up with her

Yes, in all likelihood, it was best if they just made sure he was left with a family who would be able to take care of him.

Deep in thought, Regina abruptly perked up when she heard a sound—no, a voice—she didn't recognise. Picking up her discarded clothes, she rapidly scrambled up the hillside, dressing as she went. As she neared their camp, she realised that what she had heard was actually Emma, and her mouth fell open in surprise.

Emma was singing.

"Guter Mond, o gieße Frieden

In das stille Kämmerlein

Und dein Schimmer gieße Frieden

Ins bedrängte Herz hinein."

Mesmerised by the soft tones, Regina slowly approached the woman who still hadn't become aware of her presence. Emma was cradling the baby in her arms, rocking him affectionately, and singing a lullaby Regina had never heard before. The language, Regina assumed, was the same one Emma had spoken in Milan, before they had momentarily walked their separate ways.

Not daring to go any closer, so as not to interrupt the moment, Regina stood, rooted to the spot, and listened. Emma threw more wood into the fire, swaying the baby a little, and began another verse:

"Mild und freundlich schaust du nieder

Von des Himmels blauem Zelt,

Und es tönen unsre Lieder

Hell hinauf zum Herrn der Welt."

The scene in front of her moved Regina in the most unexpected of ways, and she, suddenly, felt a lump in her throat. A gladiator, a barbarian, the lowest of the low, a slave; someone who was supposed to be despicable in every way, was singing quietly to a baby, a tender smile playing on her lips as she gazed down upon him; Regina had never seen anything more charming, more beautiful. The brunette took a step to the side and, accidentally, stepped on a small twig. The sudden disruptive sound caused Emma to fall silent, midsentence, and look up quickly, a tint of red rising to her cheeks for getting caught. They looked at each other for a moment before Emma self-consciously cleared her throat.

"My-, uh, my mother used to sing this song to me when I was little," she said, clearly embarrassed. "It usually calmed me down, or, so I was told."

"Works for him as well, I see."

"It would seem so."

Silence fell between them again, and it was Regina who broke it this time.

"Keep singing."

"I-, uh," Emma stammered uncomfortably, the red on her cheeks turning yet another shade darker.

Regina wrapped the stola around herself and walked to sit beside Emma on the tree trunk. "Please."

For a moment, Emma looked uncertain, but she then turned back to the baby in her arms and, hesitantly, began again:

"Guter Mond du wandelst leise

An dem blauen Himmerlszelt,

Wo dich Gott zu seinem Preise

Hat als Leuchte hingestellt."

Emma's voice became stronger as she went on, and Regina closed her eyes, letting the soothing melody wash over her. When she felt a hand tentatively cover her own, instead of pulling away, Regina found herself turning hers and entwining their fingers together.

The song continued, and Regina felt a sense of peace take over her. It spread through her, filling even the deepest and darkest corners of her being.

Truly, it was something that felt an awful lot like happiness.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The farmhouse that Emma had spotted nearby didn't seem like the right place to leave a baby to; it was too ramshackle and rundown – not a family that could take care of such a small child. They unanimously decided to keep on looking, and it was three days later that another hacienda—fairly wealthy and nice-looking, this time—came into view as they walked the side of a large oat field. Instinctively, Regina held the baby closer to her chest, knowing that the house she was staring at was, by the looks of it, precisely what they had been searching for.

From the distance, they could see children play in the yard, their laughter ringing in the air and carrying all the way over the field. The place looked well-maintained, and it seemed to be a relatively large estate, indicating that the owner could probably make ends meet fairly easily.

"This is pretty close to what we've been looking for," Emma mused, her voice oddly emotionless.

Regina cleared her throat. "Certainly seems like a proper family," she admitted, hating the fact that they had stumbled upon such an idyllic place; there was no way they could ever find a more suitable place.

But, still, suitable or not, eyeing the farm before her, Regina suddenly knew with utter clarity that she didn't want to leave the baby there. She didn't care if the farmhouse was perfect, or if this was a wonderful place for the boy to grow up; because, quite frankly, Regina wanted to be there to witness it herself. Maybe it was selfish, but he would be coming with them, no matter what she had to do to convince Emma.

Just as Regina was about to protest, to explain that she absolutely refused to leave the baby in this place, no matter how good the people were, Emma spoke.

"No, this place is not right."

Regina perked up. "What do you mean?"

"We don't know them; what if they are horrible people?" Emma gestured towards the farmhouse in the distance. "He obviously wouldn't be their own child; they already have offspring, and they could, I don't know, make a slave out of him. I would always be wondering if we actually made his life worse by leaving him here."

"So, what are you saying? That we'll find another place?"

"We must, this would be too big of a gamble."

"How will we ever know if we've found the right family?"

"We need to get to know the people first."

"And, running from the emperor, how exactly do you propose we're going to do that?"

"I have no idea."

They kept staring at each other, as if willing the other to say first what they were both thinking.

"You just don't want to give him up," Regina said sweetly.

Emma scoffed. "That's just..." But then her eyes landed on the small bundle in Regina's arms, and her shoulders sagged. Though, at seeing Regina's smug smile, she pointed her finger at the brunette. "But neither do you!"

"What?" Regina feigned innocence, but Emma wasn't terribly impressed. "Well... Fine, I don't. Happy?"

"Yes." Emma crossed her arms above her chest, awkwardly kicking the small pebble on the ground. "Well then," she began, self-consciously clearing her throat.

"Indeed."

"It seems the kid has two mummies."

"Apparently."

"Damn."

"Indeed."

Their eyes met again, and they both felt their cheeks colour.

"This is just a little unexpected." Emma shook her head.

"I never planned this." Regina bit her lip uncertainly.

"Obviously."

There was another moment of silence before Emma chuckled and reached out to stroke the baby's dark curls. Shaking her head again, the blonde turned to go, indicating for Regina to follow, as they headed in the opposite direction from the unsuspecting farmer who had nearly received a new addition to his family

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

"What should we call him? He needs a name now," Emma asked later, unable to tear her eyes away from the baby in her arms.

Regina looked up from the piece of salted meat she was eating. "I haven't really thought about it," she stated, downing the last bite of her supper, but Emma wasn't fooled for a second.

"Come on, Regina. Spit it out."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't even bother. I know this guy probably had you wrapped around his little finger the moment you saw him." Emma raised her eyebrows poignantly. "So, I also know you must have given it some thought."

Hands on her hips, Regina tried to scowl menacingly, but Emma was having none of it.

"Fine, I've been thinking of calling him Henry." Regina felt her cheeks redden. Seeing Emma's curious look, she explained: "You know, after my father."

"Henry, huh?" Emma smiled at the, apparently, eternally joyful child in her arms. "What do you think, kid? Do you think Henry fits you?"

Henry gurgled happily, smiling a toothless smile, and Emma laughed delightfully at this most genuine expression of happiness.

Regina watched the scene before her, a strange feeling of completeness spreading to her every cell. It hit her, then, completely out of the blue, that what she was looking at was actually her _family_ ; the one thing she had, for so many years, longed for, the Fates had actually given her in the form of this strange equation. Because, no matter how she tried to spin it to herself, the two people sitting in front of her were those that she cared about the most in the whole world.

While Regina revelled in the feeling of contentment, of being a part of something, her eyes found Emma and she looked at her; she really looked at her. Blonde curls framing her face, Emma's eyes sparkled as she kept peering at the tiny human being in her arms, practically beaming. Somehow, the box Regina had kept hidden away in the farthest corner of her brain ever since Emma had made her heartfelt confession, spilled over. All of a sudden, something Regina had, somewhere at the back of her mind, known to be true for a very long time finally pushed its way through and manifested itself in the form of a conscious thought.

_I love her._

There was a small, inaudible gasp. It was as if a dam had broken inside of her, and Regina, instantaneously, felt everything. Yes, Regina loved that damn brute more than she had ever loved anyone, or anything; she loved her more than she even thought herself capable of loving another human being. And, consciously or subconsciously, Regina had felt connected to Emma the moment their eyes had met for the first time, and something inside of her had clicked into place. A little part of her screamed that admitting this would make her weak, vulnerable, but Regina refused to acknowledge that notion for one simple reason: the pull towards Emma was something she just couldn't resist anymore.

Her heart swelling with unexpected happiness, Regina slowly walked to Emma, and, as the blonde looked up questioningly, she leaned down and captured those soft lips with her own. Something righted itself deep within her as she kissed Emma with more tenderness than ever before.

"What was that for?" Emma asked when they broke apart, eyeing the other woman curiously.

"I just...felt like doing that."

"Well, feel free to do so whenever you please."

Something in the look on Regina's face must've given her away, because Emma grasped her hand and pulled the former Vestal to sit on her lap. The brunette's arm wound around Emma's shoulders for support, and she blushed crimson for the comfortable closeness between them.

"That's better," Emma said, looking at Regina adoringly.

Regina wasn't sure if she would ever completely get used to Emma looking at her like she was the most amazing person in all the known world, but the brunette begrudgingly admitted to herself that she, most definitely, liked how it made her feel.

"Comfortable?" Emma asked, still studying Regina heartily.

Regina gave a bashful nod. "Yes."

Truth be told, she was more than comfortable. Silently, she admonished herself for her behaviour after Lugdunum; for not having the courage to face her fears; for, effectively, letting Emma down. Leaning closer to the blonde, Regina turned to look at Henry, who was, apparently, their child. Tenderly stroking his cheek, she couldn't fight the happy smile that made an appearance.

"He could actually be yours," Emma mused.

"I always wanted a child," Regina confessed, her voice small. "When I was with Leopold, I wished it so badly. But it never happened."

"You weren't meant to have children with him," Emma ruminated.

The 'you were meant to have children with me' part was left unsaid, but Regina heard it, loud and clear. Cupping the side of Emma's face and bringing their lips together once more, Regina marvelled at the strength and certitude which always radiated from the other woman.

In some strange way, they completed each other perfectly; Regina was finally ready to just accept it.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

In a way, it was different, that night, when they came together in the faint glow of a dying fire. Emma probably noticed it, too; the distinct softness in Regina's touch, the openness in the way she gave herself to Emma, it wasn't like it had been, before Lugdunum. And, yet, in some ways, it was not different at all; because while, on every level, it had been incomparable with Emma from the beginning, to Regina, it had always felt like something her body and mind knew instinctively.

But, for the first time, it now felt like Regina was able to give all of herself, and, bizarrely, her world came apart and slipped into place at the same time. She gazed down into Emma's eyes, an easy smile playing on her lips, her hand exploring the soft skin that she hadn't truly felt in too long, if ever.

Regina's fingers traced the now faint outline of a scar on Emma's upper arm. It was the one she had received while battling at the arena what seemed like a lifetime ago; Regina, however, remembered it like it was yesterday. Emma's appearances in the games had had her so incredibly spellbound, much in the same way she was now, exploring the breathtaking body beneath her own. After placing a soft kiss on the faint mark, Regina's fingers moved onwards, sliding up the arm and across Emma's collarbone and, finally, dipping down to the valley between the blonde's breasts. Her lips soon followed suit.

Emma's breath hitched, Regina's touch leaving a trail of goose bumps on her skin.

Regina hovered above the other woman, enthralled by how only her touch could elicit such a reaction. Perhaps for the first time, she truly allowed herself to see Emma, to see the love that was clearly written all over the blonde's features. It had been there for the longest time, but Regina hadn't been willing to recognise it – until now. Her hand traced lazy patterns on Emma's stomach, every now and again sliding upwards, the other woman's nipples instantly hardening at the contact. Regina eventually replaced her fingers with her lips and, encouraged by Emma's soft moans, her hand continued its journey downwards.

Truly, Regina was amazed, enchanted even, by the woman beneath her; she was amazed by Emma's need for her, her fingers parting the wet folds and slipping easily inside as the blonde welcomed her touch. But she was also amazed by how much she wanted to pleasure Emma, how much she wanted to make her become unravelled in her arms. Regina wanted to pour all that she felt into her caress, and she slowly made her way down Emma's body, finally placing her lips where she wanted to the most. The blonde grasped Regina's hair almost painfully, urging her on, and Regina keenly demonstrated just how deeply she felt about the other woman. The scent of Emma was intoxicating; she heard the erratic breathing and felt Emma's body quiver under the purposeful ministrations of her mouth. And, when her lover finally came undone, Emma's back arching off the bed and the brunette's name slipping from her lips like a prayer, Regina knew that everything in her life had been in preparation for Emma. Right here, being in this very moment, it was, somehow, meant to be.

As Emma's breathing eventually evened out, Regina crawled back up, her hand again sliding up the former gladiator's arm, down the column of her neck and along her collarbone. The kiss they shared was languid, but powerful, the sweet taste of the other woman lingering on Regina's lips.

"You didn't have to do that," Emma whispered, her hand moving down the brunette's smooth back.

"I know." Regina looked away briefly before bringing her eyes back to Emma again. "I wanted to."

She absentmindedly traced the pendant fastened around Emma's neck, her own swinging softly in the air between them. While, in reality, they were simply trinkets, worth nothing, to the two of them, they meant everything. Before either one of the women had been willing to admit to anything, the pendants had been a tangible manifestation of the bond they shared; that their lives would, somehow, always involve the other.

Unquestionably, they had already promised themselves to each other a long time ago.

Struck by the enormity of the moment, of her own feelings, those three words Regina had, for her entire life, both longed for and feared, suddenly flashed in her mind. They were dancing on her tongue, nearly stumbling out.

"I..." she began, but the rest of it just wouldn't voice itself. It was like handing over the last, tiny bit of control Regina had, and she wasn't ready to part with it yet.

Emma, however, seemed to understand anyway, because her eyes softened as she leaned forward and captured Regina's lips with her own, effectively silencing the brunette and taking away the inner struggle she was facing. Slowly sitting up and pulling Regina to her so that the brunette was now straddling her, Emma unhurriedly ran her hands up Regina's naked thighs. As the kiss finally broke, there was a thoughtful look in her eyes.

"What?" Regina probed, tilting her head to the side in question.

"When I was held prisoner by the legionaries, I thought of you every moment of every day," Emma murmured, somewhat self-consciously, and slid a finger lazily up and down Regina's side. "You were both a curse and a blessing."

"What do you mean?" Regina asked.

"You were the reason I was able to stay strong; the thought of seeing you again one day was what kept me alive. But, at the same time, I knew what I was missing. I knew that if I never saw you again, I would still spend the rest of my life longing for you. A little piece of me would die with every passing day of not having you next to me."

Regina was speechless, hearing Emma's earnest words, and, seeing no other way to reply to it, Regina pulled Emma, once again, to her and brought their lips together. She knew what Emma meant, because the journey from their little cabin to Lugdunum had been the hardest task Regina had ever endured, but there had never been a shadow of a doubt in her mind that she had to do it; it had, at the very least, proved that Regina truly didn't want a life without Emma in it.

"I think I want to cross the Rheine with you."

It was said, quite out of the blue, and Emma was obviously startled by the quietly uttered words.

"Are you sure?" the blonde asked, full of hope.

"There's nothing here for me. And I..." _I don't want to be without you._

Emma smiled. "I would love it more than anything if you came with me." She emphasised her point by kissing Regina sweetly. "But I want you to really think about it before you decide."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that the life across the river, it will be completely different from everything you've ever known." As Regina was about to interrupt, Emma placed a finger on her lips, effectively silencing her. "It was a huge step for you to leave Rome, to get used to only going into a city occasionally. But where I come from? There are no cities like here, no amphitheatres, no bathhouses, and no grandiose temples; there's nothing familiar for you there."

Regina moved the finger from her lips. "It sounds like you don't want me come with you," she said casually, but the hurt must've shown on her features, because Emma cupped the side her face, intently staring into her eyes.

"You know that's not it," Emma said fervently and with conviction. "I only want you to be aware of what you're putting yourself into. I want you to be prepared."

"Emma, there really is nothing for me here."

"I know, I just want you to think this through; I want you to be absolutely certain. Okay?"

"Okay." Regina looked away momentarily. "But you should also know that I'm not the same person that I was when we left Rome. Everything we've been through since then and, especially, the whole adventure of tracking you down, all of it just...it changed me."

"I...I'm sorry."

Regina shook her head, smiling. "I didn't say it was a bad thing." She brushed a lock of hair off Emma's forehead. "I think...I think that, in a way, I found myself during the time that we were apart. I can't believe I had to wade through Gaul to understand who I am, but I'm glad that I did. Now...now I feel like I can just be myself."

Emma studied the brunette's face for a moment. "You seem happier," she assessed, still intently regarding the other woman.

"That's probably because I am," Regina agreed. "I'm...freer."

"I'm glad." Emma smiled and, unhurriedly, leaned forward to kiss Regina once more.

It didn't take much for the kiss to deepen, to become more urgent, and Regina pressed closer to the other woman, the feel of Emma's body against her own wonderfully exhilarating. Emma's hand sneakily made its way across the brunette's stomach, dipping down at her navel and making a beeline to the place where Regina wanted it the most. Regina inhaled sharply at the contact, Emma's fingers almost painfully teasing her, not quite reaching the desired goal. Frustrated, the brunette moved her hips, wanting Emma to let her out of her misery, but the hand between her legs only slipped further away.

"Please..." Regina breathed out, snaking her arm around Emma's neck for support.

Emma leaned forward; her tongue circled Regina's hardened nipple, until she finally took it in her mouth completely, her left hand gently massaging the other. "What do you want?"

Regina swallowed. "You," she was barely able to voice, the light, circling motion of Emma's fingers driving her insane. "Inside..."

It didn't matter to Regina that she was ready to beg, to plead; not anymore. She was willing to do anything in order to get Emma to touch her, because there simply was nothing she wanted more than for Emma to take her, to make love to her. Nothing else mattered. She could feel the wetness pooling, her body more than willing to be claimed, to be conquered.

"Please..." Regina, again, uttered the word which let Emma know just how badly she needed this.

That's all it took for the blonde to move her hand, more purposefully this time, and Regina's hips bucked as slender fingers entered her at last. She had missed this terribly, Regina realised, being close to Emma, feeling her strong, yet soft, body against her own. She had yearned for the intimacy, opening herself up like this and letting Emma pleasure her.

Kissing her way down the column of Regina's neck, Emma's hand began a steady rhythm, easily slipping in and out and bringing Regina higher and higher with each thrust. The brunette buried her face into Emma's hair, her mouth hanging slightly open as her breathing grew heavier; her heart beating rapidly in her chest.

Regina forced her eyes open, because, suddenly, she needed to see Emma.

"Emma," Regina managed, urging the other woman to look at her.

"Tell me," Emma replied, leaning back and stalling the movement of her hand. Her breath felt hot against Regina's lips.

Panting heavily, Regina slid her hand up Emma's chest and neck, burying it in the thick, blond hair. "Can you...can you look at me?"

A myriad of emotions played across Emma's features as she intently studied her lover. Regina looked into the eyes that were full of devotion, loyalty and affection. The hand between Regina's thighs resumed its earlier pace, their gazes locked in an intimate display of love and trust. Regina let the love and passion wash over her, accepting everything Emma had to offer and, in turn, held nothing back from the other woman.

Regina was just where she was supposed to be; loving Emma, and being loved back in return.

Her breath hitched as the heel of Emma's palm hit that wonderful spot again and again, the blonde's skilful fingers gently pushing her towards the edge. Her hips undulated, quite on their own accord, and Regina was barely able to keep her eyes open anymore.

"Please...," she kept whispering, and Emma matched her every plea with a firm push of her fingers.

When that final, sensational thrust of Emma's hand sent her flying, she squeezed her eyes shut and dipped her head back, crying out Emma's name without shame.

Emma held on to her tightly through the waves, her lips against Regina's ear, and murmured a single word:

"Always."


	19. Nineteen

**CHAPTER 19**

It amazed Regina how little anything changed after her sudden epiphany; startled, she realised that, in fact, they had already acted like a damn couple long before Regina had admitted anything to herself. Truly, it was a surprise how easy it was to, not only accept the sentimental gestures of Emma, but, also, express them herself. She often found herself walking past the other woman and, instead of pretending not to pay any attention to her, she would lean over to give Emma a kiss on the cheek – just because she wanted to. Or, instead of keeping her distance, Regina would gently place her hand on Emma's knee when they sat in the light of the fire, just because it brought them closer. They were little things, but the utterly happy smile that always spread on Emma's lips moved Regina tremendously. Seeing it made her heart skip a beat, and, it dawned on her that she wanted to feel that for the rest of her life.

Regina had become the complete opposite of what her mother, and the entire Roman society, in fact, had wanted her to be – and, truth be told, she didn't mind at all.

One morning, a small, unconscious smile playing on her lips, Regina folded the blankets in preparation for the day's trek. She was almost done when she sensed someone standing behind her, and, soon, strong arms circled her waist, drawing her flush against the body behind her.

Regina's smile widened a notch. "Emma?" she uttered with mock reproach.

"Ready to embark on our daily adventure, your Eminence?" Emma's voice was low, her breath tickling Regina's ear, causing the brunette to shiver.

"Almost," Regina replied and managed to fold the last blanket, somehow able to pretend that she wasn't affected by the closeness of the other woman. Placing it in a pile on top of the others, she turned in Emma's arms, her own, quite on their own accord, winding up around the blonde's neck. She couldn't help blushing at how intimate this was, and, most of all, how easily it came to her.

"Or...," Emma began, her eyes sparkling mischievously, "We could just take a day off."

"A day off?" Regina snorted, amused.

Emma's hand slowly slid down Regina's back, all the way to her backside. She gave it a squeeze. "A day off." Grinning, she leaned in to capture Regina's lips with her own.

Gods, Regina was certain she would never tire of this for as long as she lived. She buried her hands in Emma's hair and kissed her with abandon.

"As enticing as that sounds," Regina breathed out when they eventually broke apart for air, "we should probably worry about the entire empire being after us," she finished with regret. With affection, she twirled a lock of golden blonde hair around her finger.

"Spoilsport," Emma sighed dramatically, earning an amused eyeroll from Regina. But, then, Emma seemed to sober up, the look on her face suddenly serious.

"What?" Regina asked, a little worried, and, after only a small moment of hesitation, she cupped the side of Emma's face. "What is it?"

The hold Emma had of Regina tightened a little, as if the blonde was afraid that Regina might decide to bolt.

"I love you." It was said with such vulnerability; Emma, laying herself bare in front of the other woman, and as if half expecting Regina to shoot her down like so many times before.

Regina stared at Emma, their eyes locked and telling each other more than words ever could. And, yet, Regina still couldn't voice what her entire being was certainly communicating without a shadow of a doubt. She drew in a ragged breath and moved in to capture Emma's lips again, slowly and with meaning. Emma relaxed, her grip on Regina's dress loosening slightly, and kissed the brunette back.

It was strange to Regina how she didn't feel guilt or shame for this nearly over-the-top display of affection; it was everything she'd been taught to abhor and abominate, but, somehow, she didn't care. If anything, it was obvious by now that _everything_ was different with Emma. Smiling shyly, Regina stroked Emma's cheek with her thumb, utterly amazed at the person standing in front of her.

"I don't... I don't know what I did to deserve you," Regina confessed with a small voice, her cheeks colouring anew, because her newfound sentimentality was clearly spilling over again.

"Me? A barbarian slave, who flipped the bird at the Roman emperor, and stole one of his most revered possessions," Emma quipped, but there was a faint undercurrent of insecurity in her tone.

"No." Regina shook her head, suddenly determined to see this through. "A person who is honourable and kind; and who, for some reason, is willing to put me first."

"You'll always come first, for me."

"I know; and that's what is so...astonishing about this. I've never experienced that before, the feeling that I'm worthy."

"I've said it before, but you deserve nothing less."

Regina actually had to blink away the tears that were, unexpectedly, threatening to fall. "Ugh, I hate you," she groaned and buried her face in the front of Emma's shirt.

"Uh, okay?" Emma said, somewhat perplexed. "That was the most unexpected non sequitur I've ever heard."

"No, I just mean that you turn me into a complete fool." Regina's voice was muffled. Slowly, she pulled back. "Whenever you're around, I turn into this ridiculously sentimental person, so it must be your doing. You make me blush, Emma! That's-,"

"Let me guess, 'inappropriate'?"

"Very funny." Regina, in a very childish manner, stuck her tongue out at Emma and stepped away from her, turning around to finally finish packing the blankets. She heard Emma sigh behind her.

"Yeah, I think it's safe to say that with me, you're screwed," Emma assessed. She took a few steps forward, and, without warning, she was pressed against Regina's back again, her lips only inches away from the brunette's ear. "In more ways than one," Emma breathed and slapped Regina playfully on the backside before moving away.

Regina's eyes widened in shock. "Emma!"

Her only reply was Emma's downright dirty laughter.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

After countless weeks of a long and difficult road from Lugdunum towards the northeast corner of the empire, finally, there was tangible proof that they were actually getting closer to their goal: the women were following a small brook in the middle of a forest when Emma suddenly whirled around in her saddle.

"Do you smell that?" Emma asked, excited, pulling on the reins and slowing down a little in order to trot next to Regina.

"Yes." Regina crunched up her nose, somewhat bewildered by what had Emma so chipper. "What _is_ that?"

"Water and seaweed; the river is close."

Giving her horse a small nudge, Emma led the way slowly through the woods and towards the border between supposed sophistication and barbarism. They had just rounded a boulder and came to a small forest clearing, when Emma abruptly brought her horse to a halt. Quickly, she dismounted and took a few steps towards what were obviously the remnants of a campsite.

"Scheiße," Emma muttered grimly, scrutinising the scene in front of them.

"Legionaries?" Regina asked, lowering herself to the ground as well.

"Without a doubt." Emma crouched on the ground, her fingers shifting through the ashes of the campfire. "They were here yesterday."

"They're after us, aren't they?"

"The area is heavily patrolled anyway, to make sure us barbarians won't attempt anything foolish, like attacking across the river. But, yes, I'm certain that they've been told to be on a lookout for two high-profile fugitives."

"What should we do?"

Emma must've heard the anxiety and uneasiness in Regina's voice, because she made her way to her and took Regina's hand in her own. The brunette took a steadying breath, the closeness of Emma calming her down.

"Advance carefully and on foot. At least in the past, the Romans weren't aware of what the best point to cross the river was, so they didn't know to guard it permanently. Let's hope that's still the case."

Since the beginning, their journey had been full of dangers and difficulties anyway, but Regina still wasn't used to the way her stomach twisted in anxious knots in the face of possible troubles. After tying the horses to a tree branch, she followed Emma through the woods, constantly glancing furtively around her, almost expecting a group of soldiers to ambush them. When nothing out of the ordinary took place, and the Rhine could finally be seen flowing rapidly in front of them, Regina allowed herself to relax a little. They followed the riverbank for a while, until the growth in front of them grew significantly denser, eventually stopping them in their tracks altogether.

Regina didn't notice it at first, as she was simply taking in her surroundings, trying to figure out what their next plan of action was. But when Emma simply remained silent, not uttering a single word, Regina turned fully to the blonde in confusion; there was an unreadable expression on Emma's face as the blonde simply stood still, her posture rigid. As Regina walked closer, she saw that the blonde's hands were clenched in tight fists.

"Emma?"

No reaction.

Emma seemed to be in a world of her own, her eyes staring into space. Regina grabbed her shoulder, trying to shake the other woman out of the strange trance, but Emma only blinked and muttered something unintelligible under her breath, obviously crestfallen.

"Emma, what is it?" Regina was gradually losing her patience, and, since nothing else seemed to work, she resorted to a trick she hadn't used in ages: "Snap out of it, you brute!"

Emma's head snapped up, angry lines appearing on her forehead. "Excuse me?"

Regina firmly grasped Emma's jaw, looking directly at her; the wild look was gone, and she was met with a pair of eyes that was full of the familiar spark.

"There you are; that's better," Regina stated.

"Oh, gods, I-, I'm sorry." Emma shook her head, pressing the heels of her palms against her eyes.

"What was that?"

Emma smiled sadly. "It's...stupid. This..." The blonde gestured around her woefully. "This is the spot where I was captured."

The magnitude of the moment registered with Regina, and she took a hold of Emma's hand, giving it a little squeeze. "I'm sorry."

"It's just..." Emma cleared her throat, obviously trying to get her emotions under control. "I never thought I'd actually see this place again."

"Just wait until you see your parents." Regina smiled, a little wistfully; the thought of loving parents was still a sore subject.

"Yeah." Emma took a deep breath, collecting herself. Then she turned fully to Regina and squinted. "Uh... 'You brute'?"

"Yeah, well..." Regina shrugged. "I've come to realise that it's not necessarily a bad thing."

"Right...Sparky," Emma said sweetly, earning a thunderous look from the former Vestal.

"Like I told you once, don't push your luck, Swan." Emma just laughed, which probably should've annoyed Regina, but it only made her smile as well. "So, what now?"

"Now, you'll wait here while I find the best place to cross the river."

"Wait here? Are you kidding me? Can't I just come with you?" Regina furrowed; the thought of separating from Emma made her anxious – for obvious reasons.

"The terrain is tricky in these parts; at least it was the last time I was here. It's faster if I find the right spot and lead you there directly," Emma explained. "I'm sorry, Regina, but this is an argument you won't win. I'll be right back, I promise."

"You'd better." Regina huffed, not at all pleased by the plan; the agitation over the group of soldiers obviously patrolling the area was still very much present in her mind.

Emma leaned over and kissed the brunette briefly. "I promise." With that, she was gone, agilely jumping over fallen tree trunks and bigger rocks, until Regina couldn't see her anymore.

Rocking the baby gently in her arms, Regina tried not to pay too much attention to the absence of the other woman and, instead, concentrated on the task ahead. She eyed the body of water before her and blanched at the vastness of it; the Rhine was immensely big, significantly bigger than the Tiber, on the shores of which she had grown up. The idea of crossing the humongous water before her—the opposite shore must have been at least 1,300 feet away—made her shudder, and she, instinctively, held on to Henry just a little bit tighter. How could they ever get across in one piece?

Regina was lost in thought when, all of a sudden, she could sense someone's eyes on her, and an unpleasant shiver went down her spine. Her posture going rigid, she snapped out of her musings, her right hand fumbling for the dagger that was, once again, strapped to her thigh.

"Stop right there." The male voice behind Regina was low and authoritative, and she froze. Slowly, she forced herself to turn around.

She was met with a single legionary—clearly a higher ranking officer, according to the insignia on his armour—who was regarding her with a mixture of trepidation and disgust; he knew exactly who she was. Swallowing, she hugged Henry closer to her, her brain scrambling to find solutions to escape the situation.

_A flawless plan, Swan!_

"At last, I should say; we've looked for you all over the empire," the soldier said, his sword raised, the blade pointing directly at Regina's chest.

"Not your best work," Regina jeered, unable to hide the sarcastic side of herself which had always come easily to her in dire situations.

"Until now." The soldier tilted his head to the side. "Did you honestly think you could evade your punishment forever?"

"Seeing as I haven't done anything wrong, yes." Regina refused to show weakness in front of the man who, now, represented everything she actually wanted to forget and leave behind. But, within her, the fear was making her heart beat a mile a minute.

"Being a common whore, betraying the empire, and committing treason aren't 'nothing'." He gave a humourless laugh.

"There are two sides to every story."

"But there's only one that matters." The legionary took another step closer. "Now, move it, before I defy a direct order from the emperor and slay you right here and now."

"Get away from her," a calm voice stated somewhere behind the soldier, and Regina wanted to sink to the ground in relief.

"Emma!" she exclaimed, finding Emma approach the man with her bow raised, an arrow aimed directly at him.

The legionary whirled around in surprise and found himself face to face with a woman who—if the utterly displeased look on her face was anything to go by—obviously wasn't afraid to use the weapon she was holding.

"You take one more step towards my family and I will end you," Emma said, her tone even and threatening. "Step away from them."

He, apparently, believed her, because Regina saw him grip his sword tighter, his knuckles turning white.

"The rest of my patrol will be here the moment they realise I haven't returned," the man said, clearly assessing the situation.

"But that won't be for a while still," Emma stated. "None of them are even over Morgenbachtal yet."

The soldier visibly gulped.

"So, I'm asking you again; drop your weapon and get away from them, or you won't need to worry about joining your precious patrol anymore." Emma's hold on the bow didn't waver an inch, and the man gave up.

The sword dropped to the ground with a thump. "You could easily be across the river by now; are you honestly stupid enough to risk everything over someone like _her_?" It was said with so much contempt that Regina almost felt it like a physical blow.

Emma didn't even blink before replying: "Yes." She tilted her head to the side and smiled. "You see, she _is_ everything."

The sound of an arrow whooshing through the air startled Regina, and she watched as the soldier crumpled to the ground, moaning in pain and cursing profusely. His helmet fell off as he violently twitched, holding his leg; Emma's arrow was sticking out of his thigh, blood gradually seeping from the edges of the small wound.

"You bitch!" he ground out, looking at the injury in horror. "I might never walk again!"

Emma casually walked to the man and crouched down, grabbing his throat in a painful grip. She brought her own face close to his, disdain written clearly on her features.

"That's for calling her a whore," she stated calmly, releasing her grip with disgust.

"You will never escape; we'll hunt you till the ends of the earth, we'll-,

By the sound of it, the man's nose clearly broke when Emma brought her elbow to his face, instantly knocking him out cold. Sparing one last, contemned glance at him, the blonde stood up and rapidly made her way to Regina and Henry.

"Are you all right?" Emma frowned, cupping Regina's cheek in concern.

"Yes, I'm fine." Regina nodded, still regarding the other woman with awe. "Your plan was definitely about to backfire, but, I have to say, your timing sure is impeccable."

"One of my better qualities."

"Oh, you have more than one?" Regina couldn't help the easy jab.

"Yes; just like you, I'm also really good at getting what I want," Emma replied, unfazed by Regina's obvious teasing.

"Is that so?" The brunette gave a laugh.

Emma took a step forward, her lips mere inches away from Regina's, and whispered: "I got you in the end, didn't I?"

Placing a finger under Regina's jaw, Emma kissed the other woman almost possessively and then pulled back with a self-satisfied smirk; Regina's heart involuntarily fluttered, and she sort of hated Emma for it.

"We need to hurry; I have no idea when the rest of his patrol will show up." Emma grasped Regina's hand and led them towards the bushes she had disappeared to earlier.

"Didn't you just say that they aren't over Morg-something or other yet?"

"I lied. How would I know where they are?"

"Aren't you supposed to be some scouting genius?"

"Regina, I'm good, but I'm not that good."

"Oh, great; so, they could be right behind us?"

"Or, they could be leagues away." Emma pulled them further into the woods. "All we can do is move forward and hope that they're far enough away - they and the other patrols most certainly keeping an eye on this area."

"Brilliant," Regina said darkly and followed Emma with a bit more urgency. "Just brilliant."

After a league or so, Emma slowed down and steered them closer to the bank of the river.

"This is the easiest spot; the currents aren't as strong."

"Emma?" Regina began, eyeing the vast body of water before them. "How are we actually going to get across?"

"With a boat." Emma quirked her eyebrow mysteriously; she then hopped down to the beach and walked to what seemed to be a big rock covered with seaweed and other growth. As she brushed them off the surface, Regina saw that, instead of a rock, it was actually a small rowing boat.

"How did you know it would be there?"

"Well, to be honest, I didn't," Emma confessed. "We always keep boats ready, on both sides of the river, in case we need to get across. I was hoping that hadn't changed during the years I was away."

Regina cautiously made her way down the slope of the bank and onto the sand as well. She gingerly helped Emma get rid of the seaweed and, with effort, turn the boat around. It was big enough to fit three, so they should get across fairly easily, given that the boat was in good enough condition; it looked like no one had used it in years. Placing Henry carefully in the boat with the blankets and other possessions, Regina took her place next to Emma.

"I know it's kind of a ridiculous situation to be asking this, but..." Emma glanced at the brunette. "Are you absolutely certain you want to come across with me?"

"You're right; it's an awfully ridiculous situation." Regina pursed her lips in contemplation. "But yes."

"Good." Emma nodded.

The vessel was surprisingly heavy, but the two women were able to push it, little by little, towards the water.

"Come on, Regina! Throw your weight behind it!"

They put all their strength into it, and the boat moved another foot forward. Encouraged by this, they tried again, this time, with even better results. The boat was only a hundred feet away from the waterline when their, so far, good luck took a small turn for the worse. There was, suddenly, a clear sound of neighing horses; Regina heard the galloping, and her heart leaped into her throat in fear. They both turned and saw a patrol of legionaries reach the steep riverbank. With alarming speed, they dismounted and quickly hopped on the sand, their swords drawn menacingly.

Emma pulled her own sword out of its sheath and peered at the brunette. "Regina, don't give up on the boat. I'll fend them off, you get the boat to the water, okay?"

Regina nodded once and gave another push. The boat only moved half a foot, but Regina fervently pushed again, refusing to give up. She instinctively looked behind her and saw Emma take on the first soldier who had run across the beach to apprehend them. With ease, the blonde ducked his feeble attempt at an attack and brought her own sword to his back; he went down like a rock.

Seeing Emma fight like the true champion that she was, the former Vestal was momentarily transported back to Rome and to the magnificent amphitheatre. Just like back then, Emma now fought with her usual grace and elegance, her body as one with her sword. Swooping down to grab the _gladius_ , the Roman military sword, of the fallen soldier, Emma prepared for the next two legionaries who were already within attacking distance. With great agility, Emma dropped down on one knee, blocking one legionary with her own sword, while bringing the other to the second soldier's calves with one, smooth swing.

Getting the latter off his feet—the scream of agony he let out made Regina shiver—Emma was able to concentrate solely on the first, which meant that he didn't stand a chance against the champion gladiator. Three out of seven completed, Regina saw Emma take a deep breath as the remaining four soldiers approached her with obvious rage. The small voice at the back of the brunette's head opined that four against one seemed rather unfair, but she simply had to trust on Emma's ability to escape unscathed.

As it turned out, four against one was, really, rather unfair. Despite dropping one of the soldiers almost immediately, Emma clearly struggled to cover her bases against three attackers. She managed to wound one, but wasn't fast enough in drawing her sword back, because a blade suddenly sliced through her left upper arm. Crying out in pain, Emma was forced to let go of the gladius. Blood spilling from the wound, she, nevertheless, refused to lose her momentum, and the second of the four went down with a thump after a lethal stab of Emma's sword.

Regina watched over her shoulder as the events unfolded, Emma's bleeding upper arm filling her with dread. Per the blonde's instructions, she didn't even entertain the idea of helping the other woman (not that she even could); she concentrated on getting the boat to move and, little by little, the vessel was approaching the waterline.

Even with one hand, Emma was able to hold her ground, but only barely. As one of the two remaining legionaries failed to deliver a proper blow, Emma saw her chance; she thrust forward with her sword, catching the soldier directly under his chest plate. However, that also meant that she was completely defenceless and exposed to the last man still standing, and, with horror, Regina saw as the hilt of a sword made contact with Emma's forehead, sending the blonde sprawling to the sand.

The legionary dropped on his knees, effectively straddling his pray and bringing the blade of his sword against Emma's neck. He sneered. Disoriented, Emma attempted to fight him, but it was useless.

"Pretty pompous of you to think you could take us all," he spat out, his knee pressing painfully against Emma's sternum, making her cough violently. "Any last words?"

The look on the soldier's face went from enraged to shocked in a fraction of a second, and Emma watched, baffled, as all colour drained from his face. With a strangled cry, he fell down next to the blonde, a dagger protruding from his neck. He was dead in seconds.

Regina stood above him, eyes wide and breathing erratic. Not quite believing what she'd just done, the brunette stared at the lifeless form lying face down on the now red sand, until she was able to pull herself together—there was no time to deal with this now—and kneeled down next to Emma.

"Emma, are you all right?" There was a painful-looking cut on the blonde's forehead where the hilt of the sword had hit her.

"You saved my life," Emma said, slurring a little, which Regina didn't like one bit.

"Story of our lives, huh? We need to get you sorted out; you need to row us to the other side, remember?" Regina ripped a piece of fabric from her dress and wrapped it around Emma's upper arm. It would have to do for now; they just needed to get moving as soon as possible.

That seemed to sober Emma up a little, because her eyes fluttered as she tried to concentrate on the woman before her. "Regina, I won't be able to do it."

"What?"

"There's no way I can row; my arm hurts like a bitch." Emma shook her head, but almost immediately halted her movements, wincing in pain. "Not to mention my head."

"What are we going to do?" Regina asked, alarmed, constantly waiting for the next set of soldiers to come dashing through the woods.

"You'll have to do the honours," Emma said, attempting to get up.

"I can't!" Regina exclaimed, looking at Emma like she'd lost her mind. After retrieving her dagger (Regina refused to acknowledge the gross sound the weapon made as she pulled it out of the soldier), she wrapped her arm around the other woman's midsection, keeping her upright as the former gladiator swung dangerously on her feet.

"Regina, there's no other way."

"I've never rowed a boat before; I don't know how!"

"First time for everything," Emma quipped, but Regina really didn't find it funny at all.

They slowly made their way towards the boat that was waiting for them at the waterline, and, with a combined effort, they managed to push it into the waves. With more difficulty than Regina would've liked, Emma clambered into the vessel, her chest heaving and her face awfully pale. Regina jumped in herself and took Henry in her arms. Carefully, she placed him against Emma's chest, wrapping her own palla around them both to make sure Emma was able to hold him.

"Place the oars in the rowlocks," Emma instructed once Regina was apprehensively seated on the middle seat. "And then just...row."

"That's ever so helpful," Regina jested, but as she glanced at Emma, her brow furrowed in concern; Emma's eyes drooped as she was obviously trying to stay alert, and all colour had drained from her face.

Her jaw set in determination, Regina dipped the oars in the water and pulled; the sooner they'd get across to the other side, the faster she could take care of Emma's arm and let her rest.

But rowing was so much harder than Regina had expected; the oars kept slipping, and the boat was going in a circle instead of forward.

"Just...try dipping them in the water simultaneously," Emma suggested, blinking rapidly. "And with equal strength."

The vessel finally moved in a straight line, and Regina could've cried for joy.

"On the other side, there's a...a large boulder that looks like a...like a bear," Emma continued, her eyes irresistibly closing. "Aim for it."

Regina glanced over her shoulder, her eyes finally landing on the rock Emma must've meant. "That one?" she asked incredulously. "How on earth am I going to do that? The water's moving downstream too quickly!"

Emma cracked open an eye. "Use your strength...otherwise...the currents...too strong." With that, Emma slumped down in her seat, the baby still securely in her arms.

"Emma?" Regina asked, panicked. "Emma!"

The distinct sound of horses drew Regina's attention back to the beach and, in no time, another legionary patrol appeared from between the trees. Instead of abandoning their horses like the first group, they rode fast towards the waterline, which sprang the brunette into action. As hard as she could, Regina pulled on the oars, and the craft, slowly but surely, slid forward.

One of the soldiers rode into the water, as far as the horse was willing to go, his spear at the ready; he threw it forcefully towards the boat and only missed his target by a few feet.

"Shit," Regina muttered. "Shit, shit, shit."

Seeing the other members of the patrol following their companion's example and drawing back their spears, the former Vestal felt a wave of determination spread through her.

Sweat sliding down her neck, Regina kept her eyes on the soldiers, their presence giving her the strength and perseverance that she needed. Another spear missed its desired goal, though only barely, but Regina was able to get the vessel even further form the reach of the weapons. When the next spear actually fell quite far behind them, she knew that they were far enough; there was no way the soldiers could reach them anymore. With satisfaction, Regina watched as the forms of the legionaries constantly grew smaller as they got further and further from the shore. If the situation hadn't been as distressing as it was, she probably would've ungraciously flipped them off, just out of spite.

Taking a peek behind her, Regina saw that she was perfectly in line with the bear-shaped rock and, although her arms were starting to protest, she pulled on the oars, yet again. It felt like she'd been at it forever when, finally, the distinct voice of the keel hitting the bottom of the river could be heard. Quickly drawing in the oars, Regina jumped overboard and pulled the boat as far towards the riverbank as she could. Her feet kept slipping, the water seeping into her clothes and weighing her down, but she refused to give up. Giving it everything she had, she got the craft far enough onto the sand and hurried back for the boat's precious cargo. Carefully extracting Henry from Emma's hold, she scurried all the way up the riverbank and placed him on a bed of leaves; then, she stumbled back down to the beach and Emma.

It was the most strenuous task Regina had ever attempted, but with every ounce of strength that she had left, she dragged Emma away from the boat, across the sand and up the muddy bank, to the seclusion behind the tree line. Trembling and gasping for air, she kneeled down beside the unconscious woman and cradled her face between her hands, tenderly wiping away the dirt and blood that now coated Emma's beautiful features.

"Emma," she said hoarsely, the panic in her voice more than evident. "Emma, please wake up."

Regina could feel the tears burning behind her eyes as she willed the woman to not leave her. _Just please, don't leave me alone. We've come so far. I just got you back!_ An image of Emma at the arena flashed before her eyes; the moment she'd first laid eyes on the _barbarian_ she'd come to care so much about. She should've known, right there and then, that their lives would irresistibly intertwine with each other; that Emma would be the key to unlocking her life, her future, her everything. So, as she held the warrior in her arms, feeling the cold forest floor gradually numb her feet, she decided that Emma would live. She would live, gods be damned! With shaking hands, Regina framed Emma's face again, kissed her on the forehead, and uttered the only thing that was left to be said.

"Please, come back." Her voice cracked. "I think... I think I love you."

Silence, deafening and unforgiving.

"Love is...weakness. Didn't you know?" It was said so quietly, barely a whisper, that Regina almost didn't hear it.

A watery smile appeared on Regina's face as she saw the corner of Emma's mouth twitch a little, and when the green eyes she so longed to see again cracked open a smidgen, there were tears running down her cheeks. Regina didn't care.

"I...I might have to rethink my position on that," she admitted sheepishly, still cradling Emma's injured head.

"I'm glad to hear that," Emma whispered. "Did we...did we make it across?"

"Yeah." A relieved sob escaped Regina's throat. "Yeah, we made it to the other side."

"Where..." Emma blinked, trying to get oriented. "Where's Henry?" she managed, finally able to focus her eyes on the woman hovering above her.

"He's right here; he's safe."

"Good," Emma murmured, her eyes sliding closed again. "Good."

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

Much to Regina's relief, after a few days, Emma's health seemed to be improving. Although she'd been quite ill for a while after, the seemingly never-ending headaches and nausea tormenting her, she was finally able to stand without feeling lightheaded. Regina wrapped an arm around Emma's waist and, slowly but surely, they made their way further into the forest, the Rhine disappearing behind them entirely.

They walked at a leisurely pace, Emma pointing out things and telling Regina everything she could think of about her homeland. The former Vestal listened intently, soaking up the information with keenness.

For the first time since leaving Rome behind, Regina was able to breathe freely; she was able to sleep without worrying that the legionaries would sneak up on them; she was able to wrap her arms around Emma, to kiss her, knowing for sure that it wouldn't be the last time. Indeed, she hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time, which is why she actually yelped when, one day, without warning, there was a quite rugged-looking man standing in the middle of the path in front of them.

"Wer seid ihr, Fremde?" he demanded in a strange-sounding language, pulling his sword out of its sheath. He eyed the two women with suspicion.

Regina automatically pressed closer to Emma, her hand inching towards the familiar dagger at her thigh. But, before she could pull it out, Emma turned to her, smiling.

"It's okay," she whispered and took a few steps forwards, raising her hands a little. Then she addressed the strange man: "Erkennst du mich nicht, Olaf?"

Frowning, the man kept looking at the blonde until, all of a sudden, his eyes widened. "Emma?"

"Lange nicht gesprochen." Emma grinned as the man immediately put his sword away and grabbed the woman in a bone-crushing hug.

As it turned out, Olaf was from one of the ally tribes who had banded together with that of Emma's, and he couldn't believe his eyes when he saw his old friend, alive and well. With an awkward nod, Regina greeted the man after Emma had made the introductions, and received a toothless grin as a reply. In some bizarre way, Regina liked the man. Olaf was more than happy to provide them with food for the rest of their trek; he offered to accommodate them in his village as well, but Emma refused, wanting to reach their destination as soon as possible.

With a wave, the two women eventually parted with him, his voice carrying over to them long after he couldn't be seen anymore.

"I don't speak the language," Regina said that night, quite out of the blue. She threw more sticks into the fire, watching as the flames danced in front of her. Funnily enough, she couldn't even remember the last time Emma had made this particular chore; somehow, after the whole Lugdunum debacle, the making of the fire had been delegated to Regina by a wordless agreement. Then again, it was only fitting that the former Vestal was in charge of it.

Emma looked up from the sword she was polishing, but remained silent, waiting for the other woman to continue.

"I just mean that..." Regina trailed off, sighing. "Meeting that man earlier, I... I won't understand anything anyone's saying," she finished, voicing one of her biggest insecurities.

Emma studied her for a moment, her eyes raking over Regina's features, making the brunette fidget. Finally, Emma put down the weapon and moved over to sit beside her. Taking Regina's hand in hers, Emma kissed it lovingly.

"When I was hauled across the empire, to Rome, I didn't speak a word of your language." Emma tilted her head, looking Regina in the eye. "It was a daunting task, but I learned." She leaned over to give the other woman a little peck on the cheek. "You're smart, intelligent. You'll learn to get by in no time."

"Your faith in me is ridiculous," Regina snorted, shaking her head. She ran a hand through her hair uncertainly.

"You know, it's funny," Emma stated, her thumb soothingly stroking the back of Regina's hand.

"What is?"

"That, after all this time, after everything we've been through, you still doubt yourself." Emma was serious, now. "You trekked across the Alps; you waded through the countryside of Gaul, and alone, I might add; you became a mother, and broke into a Roman military camp. But, most of all, you learned to put up with me." Regina couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. "Regina, you're incredible, and learning a new language is nothing compared to everything you've already accomplished."

Gaze fixed at Emma, Regina felt her breath hitch at the utter devotion and certainty she could see in the blonde's eyes. Maybe, at last, she could let go of her old mindset and, actually, trust herself; believe in herself. Besides, whenever Emma looked at her the way she was now, Regina felt like she could do anything.

Emma's lips were soft and warm against her own, their tongues sliding against each other without urgency. "I'm so in love with you," Regina whispered, the words slipping out before she could stop them. She pulled back, startled; the ease with which the confession was uttered caught her completely off guard.

It wasn't so much the fact that she had confessed something so personal out loud that astonished Regina; it was the fact that it made her feel stronger than she'd ever felt. Because she knew, definitely and unquestionably, that she would do absolutely anything for the woman sitting before her; she had _killed_ a man in order to save Emma. And while that moment still haunted Regina, she knew that, even if she could, she wouldn't have changed anything.

_To have someone you care about, someone to live and die for, makes you the strongest you can be._

"Damn it, you were right," Regina mumbled, regarding Emma with amazement.

"I usually am." Emma grinned, looking at the brunette curiously.

"Oh, shut up." Regina rolled her eyes and, finally, drew her hand back. With a headshake, she moved to check on Henry, but, before she could turn away fully, Emma pulled her back.

Wrapping her arms tightly around the other woman, Emma leaned her forehead against Regina's. "I didn't say it back," she explained.

"Sorry?"

Emma kissed Regina with such intensity that the brunette felt her toes curl. She gripped Emma's arm for support, suddenly feeling lightheaded; the other woman's lips were driving her insane. At some point, Regina felt her back hit the blankets, Emma's strong form pressing exquisitely against her own.

"I didn't say it back," Emma repeated, their chests heaving in unison. "I always want to say it back." She gave Regina another peck on the lips. "I love you too; so much."

Regina sighed. "You will be the death of me, Swan," she murmured.

"Mmmh, but what a way to go." Emma wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"You're just incorrigible, you know that?" Regina said with mock reprehension, trying to escape from underneath the other woman.

Emma was having none of it, effectively trapping Regina beneath her by bringing both of the brunette's arms above her head and keeping them there.

"Emma, I was going to go check up on Henry." Regina was still trying, albeit half-heartedly, to wriggle away from the blonde.

"I'm sorry, no can do," Emma stated, emphasising her point by running her tongue up Regina's neck and all the way to her earlobe, making Regina squirm for whole different reasons. "His parents are busy."

Emma actually licked Regina's ear and, gods forbid, Regina found herself giggling out loud.

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

The path they were following became more pronounced the next day, and Regina could sense Emma, inexplicably, tense up beside her. Eventually, the path turned into more of a carriageway, and, after a half-day journey, there was a definite fork in the road.

Emma stopped in her tracks, bringing Regina to a halt as well. Puzzled, she watched as Emma took a few, hesitant steps towards the intersection, the look on her face such that Regina wasn't able to deduce her thoughts.

"Emma?" the brunette asked gently, trying to understand what was so special about this place.

Taking a deep breath, Emma turned around. She approached Regina, then, the smile on her face cautious and even uncertain. Stepping in front of the other woman, the hesitancy in Emma's movements was clear and utterly unlike her – a far cry from the woman who had stood in front of thousands of people and faced death every time the amphitheatre gate would slide open. Glancing to the ground and then back up again, Emma's eyes found Regina's, and there was a tender smile playing on her lips.

"Remember, all those moons ago, when I caught a hare for us that one morning before Parma, and you made us breakfast?"

Gods, it seemed like ages ago. "Yes, of course I do." Regina frowned, not entirely sure where Emma was coming from.

"I... When you said that you could cook, this...image flashed through my head. And... It's completely ridiculous, but I suddenly thought that you would make an amazing wife. Not because you can cook!" Emma hurriedly elaborated after seeing Regina's eyes flash dangerously. "No, I just randomly thought, at that moment, that it would probably be perfect being married to you."

Emma took a tentative step forward and continued: "What I'm trying to say, very poorly, I might add, is that, if you think the same of me as well, that you wouldn't mind spending the rest of your life with me, I can offer you that. If we go down that road," Emma said and indicated the one on the left, "it leads to my village. There, I can give you a life by my side. I will love you and care for you, and I will never take you for granted, because you are the most exquisite woman I have ever met, Regina. I promise I will look after both of you." She hesitantly reached towards Henry and stroked his soft curls. "But that's only if you want it. If you'd rather go back to the empire, the road on the right eventually leads back to the Rhine at a point where you can cross it without too much trouble. I will take you there, if that's what you want, because I would never force you into anything you don't wish to do."

Emma looked up then, her eyes full of hope, but also a hint of fear and uncertainty. It was as if Emma was still expecting Regina to choose the other road and run all the way back to Rome, because this barbaric way of life wasn't what she was settling for after a lifetime of Roman luxuries. The brunette felt a lump in her throat and swallowed, annoyed ,once again, that Emma had turned her into such a sentimental fool. But she couldn't help being moved by how considerate the supposed barbarian in front of her was – after being controlled all her life by everyone, Regina was finally being given the chance to decide for herself, to live her life how she pleased.

And, truly, there was only one way she wanted to live it.

"When we were in Milan, when we parted at the crossroads, you said something to me; something in your language." Regina tilted her head to the side, catching Emma's eye. "What did you say?"

"Vergiss mich nicht," Emma repeated softly from memory, blushing. "Don't forget me."

Regina felt the breath of the small child against her collarbone; she saw the loving smile on Emma's face and realised that, before this, she hadn't truly known what home meant.

Reaching her hand towards Emma, Regina murmured: "I think you know I could never do that." Despite the colouring of her cheeks, the smile that spread on her face was the most genuine she had ever smiled, full of joy and happiness, and, yes, love. "Come on, let's go home."

Emma's smile widened as she happily accepted the offered hand and entwined their fingers together; Regina, once the fairest and most revered of the Roman Vestals, knew that she was, finally, where she was supposed to be.

Regina leaned in to kiss Emma tenderly and let her saviour save her one more time.


	20. Epilogue 1

**EPILOGUE**

The surface of the water gleamed, the rays of the afternoon sun reflecting off it, when a 6-year-old Henry threw the fishing line in the lake. The ripples shot in all directions as the hook and the sinker rapidly sank towards the bottom.

"Now, all you need to do is wait and see if the fish bites," Emma said quietly, standing behind the boy and helping in keeping the rod steady.

"Do you think I'll catch something, mum?" Henry whispered, his eyes glued to the bobber; he was prepared to react in case there was any movement.

"Let's hope so; it's been a poor fishing summer, though," Emma assessed, trying to let him down easy, in case there was nothing to catch.

"I'm going to catch a big one!" Henry proudly declared, his fingers wrapped tightly around the rod.

"We have to be really quiet then," Emma spoke softly, and the boy gave a determined nod.

They waited, a soft breeze blowing their hair and making the reed beds rustle. The movement of the bobber was miniscule at first, but, then, it clearly sank below the surface for a moment. The line suddenly tightened, and, utterly taken by surprise, Emma was barely able to keep the rod in their hands when whatever had taken the bait began fighting for its life.

"We have to draw it closer to the shore, Henry," Emma instructed and, together, they pulled and hauled their catch towards the shoreline.

With one, final tug, the fish flew out of the water and landed on the rock behind them with a smack.

"No way," Emma mumbled, seeing a pike, at least thirty-pound in weight, twitching violently on the ground. "No way, Henry!" The fishing rod was dropped to the ground as Emma turned to look at her son.

"Mum, I caught a fish!" Henry yelled excitedly, jumping up and down.

"You sure did, kid." Emma laughed and scooped the boy up into her arms, spinning him around.

Henry squealed with delight, their laughter carrying over to Regina who, hidden from sight, was standing a little ways away and watching the scene before her. A watery smile was playing on her lips as she followed Emma hugging _their_ son.

There were footsteps behind her.

"Es kann losgehen," Olof suddenly said from next to her.

Regina glanced at him and nodded. "Wir sind gleich soweit."

With a smile, he left Regina to her own devices again, and the brunette turned back to the pair beside the lake. Clearing her throat, she stepped around the tree and approached the two people who meant more to her than anything else in the whole world. Two grinning faces turned to look at her.

"Did you see that, mommy?" Henry immediately ran to Regina and wrapped his arms around her legs. "I caught it all on my own! Well, mum helped, but not much."

"I did indeed," Regina said, ruffling his thick, brown hair. "That was really impressive."

"You'd better go and show this to grandma, Henry." Emma handed the fish and the rod to the elated boy. "Let her know that you're, apparently, having pike tonight."

Henry eagerly accepted his catch and sprinted—though, not before Regina had kissed the top of his head—towards the village, his parents long forgotten. "Oma!" was the last thing the two women heard before he disappeared behind the trees.

"Well, that was unexpected. It was his first try!" Emma shook her head, incredulously glancing towards the lake.

"He sure takes after you." Regina chuckled, her arms winding up around Emma's midsection.

"Achieving improbable goals?"

"Oh, I would say he takes after both of us in that respect."

Emma grinned and leaned over to tenderly kiss the other woman. "Is the patrol ready to go?"

"Yeah, they're waiting for us." Regina fiddled with the sword belt around Emma's waist. "Apparently, another catapult has been erected near Mogontiacum, and we need to check it out."

"Do you think you'll be able to tell its weak points?"

"It should be doable." Regina nodded. "I honestly never thought all those hours listening to the generals babble to Titus about their military operations would come in handy."

"That, and going to see those stupid games at the amphitheatre."

"Oh, that was such a waste of time."

Emma's eyes narrowed. "Cheeky."

Regina tightened her hold on the blonde and, eyes sparkling, reattached their lips again. She'd been right, all those years ago, thinking that she would never tire of kissing Emma, of being close to her. The herd of butterflies in her stomach were released, once again, as Emma's lips moved against her own passionately, sensually.

"Okay," Emma practically groaned when they broke apart. "I really don't feel like going," she lamented.

Regina chuckled. "Come on, we'll be back within a week."

"And what about Henry?"

"Emma, we have this conversation _every time_. Your mother is going to take good care of him, just like before."

"Right." Emma harrumphed, but didn't let go of the other woman. Instead, her hand just happened to slide down the brunette's body.

"Emma," Regina half-heartedly admonished, but the corners of her mouth tilted upwards.

"Fine, fine." Emma removed her hand. "But you're in trouble once we get back." Emma winked in a way that couldn't be misunderstood.

Regina gave a laugh. "Oh, really?"

"Really." Emma pulled Regina back into a tight embrace.

They stayed like that for a while, simply enjoying the closeness, until Emma nuzzled Regina's hair and brought her lips close to the brunette's ear.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

"The others are probably waiting," Emma mused, but neither of them moved.

"Probably."

"We really should go."

"We should."

Reluctantly, the women pulled apart.

"All right, then. Let's get this over with," Emma said, giving Regina one, last peck on the lips.

"Did you pack the dice?"

"Of course; what, are you planning on winning for a change?"

"Cute. One day, I'm going to figure out how you're cheating."

"Cheating? You wound me."

"You'll get over it. Come on, let's go."

"Lead the way, Sparky."

Despite herself, Regina's nostrils flared and her eyes flashed.

"Swan, I swear to gods!"

**OuaTOuaTOuaTOuaT**

_\- Traicit et fati litora magnus amor._


	21. Epilogue 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second epilogue was originally written a year after I'd already finished the fic. It just popped in my head and I had to write it.

**EPILOGUE 2**

"No, absolutely not."

"Regina."

"No; and that's final."

Emma sighed, exasperated, but refused to let her frustration show by actually pulling at her hair. Even after all these years, Regina was still as pigheaded as ever.

"Just admit it; in your mind, nobody will ever be good enough for him." Emma briefly glanced at Regina, noticing how the other woman's jaw muscles tightened.

"That's preposterous!" Regina huffed. "Just look at her! The way she keeps doting at Henry, it simply makes me uncomfortable."

"I've actually seen that look before," Emma mused, the corner of her mouth twitching, just barely. She then turned fully to Regina, causing the former Vestal to tear her eyes away from the scene a little ways away.

"What do you mean?" Regina looked suspicious, as if desperately trying to decipher the look on Emma's face.

"In fact, I see that look every day," Emma continued, utterly unfazed by Regina's narrowing eyes. "And, to be more precise, I see it whenever _you_ look at _me_."

The myriad of emotions flickering across the other woman's face would've been highly comical to Emma if she weren't aware of the reasons behind Regina's reaction to the simple compliment. But the slight reddening of the brunette's cheeks told Emma that her comment was, ultimately, positively received.

"It is not the same," Regina protested, but it was half-hearted at best, the reddening only intensifying and spreading further. She let out a resigned sigh.

"Just face it, darling. Our boy is in love." Emma chuckled and turned back to a 19-year-old Henry who was, at that moment, sitting next to a girl on a tree trunk and smiling shyly at her. The scene was bordering on disgustingly sweet. "Come on, let's give them some privacy."

Emma gently nudged Regina who, albeit unwillingly, turned her back on the obvious display of affection. Stalking purposefully away from the trees, Regina made it nearly halfway across the grass field before unexpectedly whirling around and causing Emma to nearly bump into her.

"You are the leader of this tribe," she stated, matter-of-factly, as if trying to make a point.

"And?" Emma asked, utterly bewildered. "You're just as much of a leader as I am. We're together in this."

"Even more of a reason for our son to choose wisely." Regina hammered the point across by poking Emma to the chest with her forefinger.

"Regina, he's nineteen. He's old enough to make his own decisions." The former Vestal's hand trembled a little when Emma took a hold of it. "And by all I've seen so far, I'd say he has chosen wisely."

"I simply don't want him to make the same mistake I made." The effort it took to confess that must've been great, Emma knew.

"You had no choice." Emma squeezed Regina's hand even tighter. "Everything was arranged; you had nothing to do with it."

"Still." Regina looked away, uncomfortable.

Gently, Emma placed her hand on Regina's warm cheek and urged the other woman to look at her. Gingerly, Regina did just that.

"You did nothing wrong." When Regina was clearly about to speak up, Emma shook her head as a warning. "It was not your choice, Regina. But, what you have now, with me, with Henry? I would like to think I didn't force you into anything."

"I chose you." It was said so quietly that Emma nearly missed it.

"And you remember that." Emma smiled lovingly. It didn't matter how many times she would have to keep reminding Regina, she would do it until the brunette truly believed it.

Slowly pulling Regina to her, Emma placed an unhurried kiss on the other woman's lips and revelled in the softness, the rightness of it. There was an obvious sparkle in her eyes when she, eventually, pulled back.

"I, on the other hand, I was a slave for you from the moment I saw you," Emma stated, happy to see the corners of Regina's mouth turn up a little.

"Literally," Regina said sweetly and patted Emma on the cheek almost condescendingly.

"Seriously? This is what I get for being romantic?" Emma huffed, crossing her arms when Regina actually laughed out loud.

Something flashed in the blonde's eyes, and Regina knew she should've made her escape then, but she was too amused to realise what exactly Emma had in mind. Before the former Vestal knew what was happening, Emma had swung her up on her shoulder and was determinedly marching towards the village and their humble house just on the edge of it.

"Emma! What in Jupiter's name do you think you're doing?" Regina demanded to know, simultaneously trying to wiggle herself free from the strong hold Emma had of her.

"You said it yourself; I'm just a gladiator. A mere barbarian." From the tone of Emma's voice, Regina knew that she was anything but offended by the brunette's earlier comment. "Remember what they say about gladiators?"

"For crying out loud, you're the head of the village, Emma!"

"And?"

"And? _And?_ " Regina practically wheezed. "This is wholly inappropriate! What if someone sees you dragging me around like a common tart?" Regina hissed in a scandalous voice.

"Not that I'm calling you a tart, but you, if anyone, should remember the harvest festival last autumn."

"Oh, gods." Regina buried her head in her hands; she would never, ever live that down. Defeated, Regina finally went limp in Emma's hold. "Well, at least be a little bit quieter! This is embarrassing as it is."

"Yes, my Queen."

"Ugh." Regina sighed and seemed to concede to her fate, her backside unceremoniously up in the air as Emma, with surprising agility, traipsed onwards. "You'd better make it worth my while, Swan."

"Oh, I intend to."

The dance they danced, while seemingly spontaneous, was, actually, carefully choreographed, resulting from years and years of simply being in each other's lives. And, while neither of them would ever admit it out loud, both of them were utterly content with the current situation.

Unbeknownst to Emma, Regina smiled happily and grabbed the other woman's tunica just a little bit tighter.

**FIN.**


End file.
